Flower Power

MANILA, 12 November 2008 (IRIN) - Thanks to a local invention, lakeshore communities in the Philippines will soon begin using water hyacinths as an alternative source of fuel and organic fertiliser.
"The world is badly in need of raw materials for biomass fuel that we can grow easily even in places that we don't expect," inventor Gonzalo Catan Jr told IRIN.
The abundance of unwanted water lilies on the shores of Laguna de Bay - one of Southeast Asia's biggest fresh-water bodies - provided an opportunity for Catan to showcase his invention.
The prize-winning technology recycles bio-waste into environment-friendly "green charcoal", a compact solid fuel providing a good alternative to liquefied petroleum gas for cooking and possibly industry.
The technology works by using a "threader machine" to shred the water lilies. Next, enzyme-producing microbes are added and finally, the mixture of treated water lilies is put in the sun to dry.
Organic fertiliser vermicast may also be produced from the lake's organic mud deposits but instead of microbes, earthworms are added to the mix. "Water the mixture twice a week and let earthworms eat them [hyacinths]," Catan explained.
Catan said it was important to produce organic fertiliser. "That is the mistake of many countries, including the US. Production of bio-fuel goes now to feed cars instead of feeding cattle. Agriculture is also important," he said. Read more....

I think this is a good news for all the Filipinos; finally we can contribute with the fuel outage and saving the planet earth by using this organic fuel they have discovered they can use to help with. I am hoping this discovery will lead to more job for the jobless and the help the Philippines economy's recovery.