South Asian Boomer Women Create Energy Clinics to Train Other Women: Can We Not Do This in the US?

South Asia Women in Energy (SAWIE) conducted its Second Application Workshop on Efficient Energy Management and Renewable Energy from November 17-19 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Merle Kindred, PhD, a graduate of MTU’s Rhetoric and Technical Communications program, presented on “An Indo-American Venture: Building an Energy Efficient House in Kerala, India with the Centre of Science and Technology for Rural Development (COSTFORD) Using Indigenous Knowledge and Appropriate Technology, Part II.” Attendees represented women from eight countries of South Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka with Kindred representing what she calls “Amerikerala.”

Topics included: Renewable Energy Technology/Green Architecture, Micro Finance/Income Generationm Capacity Building/Best Practices/Information Sharing, and Gender Streamlining.

Funded by USAID (US Agency for Internat’l Development) & SARI/Energy (South Asia Regional Initiative/Energy) South Asia Women in Energy (SAWIE) held its Second Application Workshop on Efficient Energy Management and Renewable Energy, November 17-19, Dhaka, Bangladesh

This was the second time a group of approximately three dozen women most over 60 from the eight South Asian countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) met along with two dozen resource people, most from Bangladesh, to share information and insights about energy

.

The following account was written by Merle Kindred, who lives part time in the Keewenah Peninsula off the Upper Pen of Mich. Merle and her husband (since deceased) built an energy efficient house that runs off a water heater and sun in one of the most energy demanding parts of the US--an area where you measure snow in feet--many, many, many feet rather than inches. She is currently building another energy efficient multi-generational, multi-ethnic house in Kerela, India

 

"Our first meeting was in Kerala last April where we formed SAWIE with an explicit goal of networking and fostering and supporting projects in each of our countries to transform energy use for the betterment of the planet and all its inhabitants. In Kerala, we’d already formed four working groups:

1. Renewable Energy Technology/Green Architecture (RET/GA)
2. Micro Finance/Income Generation
3. Capacity Building/Best Practices/Information Sharing
4. Gender Streamlining

Energy defines civilization.

Energy, especially electricity, is essential for development and fostering clean energy alternatives is critical for sustainability of the health of the biosphere. Energy production has evolved from people and animal power > biomass > coal > fossil fuels > nuclear & renewables, with potential severe damage to the biosphere inherent in all but the first and the last options.

All the countries, attending the meeting, share the reality of women spending hours collecting combustible fuels that deplete the Earth’s resources, laboring over smoky stoves that injure their and their families’ health and adding carbon to the atmosphere, and being left in darkness at night, which limits security, and time for income-producing labor and recreation.

Programs such as Grameen Shakti training illiterate rural women at Technology Centres in Bangladesh in constructing and using photovoltaic (PV) systems and using Improved Cook Stoves (ICS) involves Bangladesh Nobel Peace Laureate Dr. Muhhamed Yunnus’s micro-financing program for both development and implementation. Watching rural women soldering components of Grameen Shakti solar lamps was inspiring. Solar energy can also be used to pump water and such systems are being developed with the rural poor. Development of biogas systems for production of methane for both cooking fuel and operation of generators for electricity and heat production also proves alternative energy is possible in even the most challenging of circumstances. Also, the slurry from biogas systems makes excellent organic fertilizer.

Hearing about Kerala’s Energy Clinics where village women are trained in teaching about energy conservation and use of renewable energy helps in transformation of attitudes and

actions relating to energy use.

Attempting equity and justice form the groundwork for a more peaceful world, so all these efforts for fostering efficient energy management and use of renewable energy are vital for all societies. Access to attainable, sustainable energy empowers the women of South Asia, who form half its population. For clean energy to make a difference, the 3As must occur: access, availability, and affordability.

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) for carbon credit trading allows developed, pollution-rich countries to buy carbon credits by assisting less developed countries in creating clean energy systems. It’s a win-win situation with developed countries using their greater wealth (from high-polluting energy systems) to reduce the overall CO2 afflicting the planet while assisting developing countries in the use of clean energy.

SAWIE acknowledges that women are still afraid to counter traditional male power systems.

It is very difficult for countries or groups or individuals to give up or significantly alter traditional entitlements and power arrangements. Efforts to empower women must ensure social and technological changes in unison to promote improvement in their physical, emotional, intellectual, social, and economic situation. Empowerment leads to transformation and transformation leads to empowerment in a positive cycle of change.

There is also not only a social cost to change, but also a monetary cost, which is why SARI/Energy has initiated a Small Grants Program. With emphasis on partnering and leveraging, SARI/Energy wants more than just talk – i.e. studies in isolation. Grants of up to US$10,000 will be awarded to assist the development of technological programs, enhanced business practices, communications ventures, etc. with emphasis on empowering women in the region relating to improved energy use. Women are key figures in informal decision making in rural communities and programs need to be established that position them to help initiate transformation in relation to energy use that will benefit their lives and the life of the planet.

SAWIE will meet again in approximately 6 months and an invitation has been extended to hold the next gathering in Islamabad, Pakistan. Emphasis will be on the establishment and success of actual programs that involve women in the region in enhanced clean energy use."

(Reflections on the conference by Merle Kindred, 22 November 2008).

Those interested in further information on SAWIE can contact Kindred: mekindred@gmail.com.

 

If village women in India can benefit from Energy Clinics, why can we not replicate such clinics and adapt them for our oil based culture? As the major users of household energy, cannot we women creatively alter our home practices in more sustainable forms? Send in your thoughts about how we can establish Energy Clinics here in the US and what suggestions you have for changing energy usage.

Comments

[Cathy Warren]

I agree that it is up to the individual to start making changes. Do the research and see how you can make a change. It is ridiculous to me that we as a nation do not embrace this new era. Why not set the standard as a county and lead the world in green technology. Have you seen the green rooftops? How great is that? So many ideas out there. Check them out and make a change for our children's future.

[Nancy Mehegan]

Yes. The American media rarely encourages sustainable living or energy. It appears it is up to the individual citizen to do the research and the work. Being passive will not get us there.

[Tim]

I fully agree that America and other first world countries should start educating their populations about the use of renewable energy at home. Even doing something as simple as using passive solar design can drastically cut your electricity bill.

This can be as simple as planting a deciduous (loses its leaves in winter) tree that shades your house in summer and allows sunlight through in winter. Or investing in some modern double-glazed windows for better heat retention.