commUNITY DESIGNS.
TOOLS, STOVES AND ALTERNATIVE COOKING FUELS FOR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES IN MEXICO. This proyect is about implementing design into poor peoples lives and everyday problems in order to improve life conditions within indigenous communities.
JAVIER DIAQUE SUAREZ INDUSTRIAL DESIGN RMIT UNIVERSITY PRE MAJOR PROJECT 1 22/04/09
CONTENTS. Designer Bio. * Who I am. * Where I am moving to. Introduction. * The context. * Background/ historical review. * Facts. * Related works. Problem Statement. Recognition of need. Definition of the problem. * Design methods overview. * The project. Research Design Ideation. Summary.
Designer Bio.
who I am.
Where i am moving to.
My name is Javier Diaque, I was born in 1985 in Mexico, a country of contrast, a heavy cultural baggage and an amazing historical background. At the age of 4 I left my country with my family for 3 years, because of my fathers´ job. We moved into Canton Ohio, a small town in the north of the United States. This gave me the opportunity to grow up in the backyard, outdoors and all the possibilities that the first world can offer to a kid. At the age of 7 we went back to Mexico, one of the biggest cities in the world, fortunately I moved into a place where I could still have a chance to spend my time and childhood outside from home, in an open air environment and with friends… getting scars and muddy clothes. Since then I’ve always have been interested in outdoor activities, from building ramps for the bike and skateboard, devices for climbing the trees, to testing them. As well, I’ve been lucky enough to explore places away from the city that allowed me to do adventurous activities exploring nature and the activities we can do with it. On another hand, since I was kid I grew up surrounded and driven into a humanitarian, emotional artistic and creative environment, which has been guided and enforced by my mother who is dedicated to it. This has taken me to gain an interest towards the social scene. I consider myself a sensitive and empathic person; this is reflected through my human relationships. My family has always shown a big interest in social responsibility and that has planted a thought and strong feeling in my life about working with people, helping to improve others life and taking advantage of the opportunities life has given me to help others. Since I was young I have always been involved in social service programs back home such as going to indigenous communities and working with them such as teaching computing to children whose access to a computer is not as easy. I have a competitive personality and have always been committed to challenges, community ones and individual ones. I have always liked to be different between the others and stand out for my abilities, I like to propose innovative ideas and confront in able to get out of the “normal” parameters and the already established thoughts, and this has made a rebellion character in me
Even though I like stability, a am a person who constantly is looking for changes in his life, such as schools, cultures, countries… this has given me an ability of quick adaptation towards different circumstances. As well, I think it has made me sensitive towards people’s different styles and ways and given me an ability to approach and intimidate more with people. Even though I am quite easy going I am really loyal towards what I believe in. I have become a person who is committed towards his passions, but as well a dreamer and idealist, an adventurer looking for what has not been written yet. Sometimes I find it hard to find a direction for my emotions, and need some help and guidance, but once I’m on the way I find it easier to continue or even open and propose more alternatives. I am a creative thinker but I need to know or understand what I am doing. I am good recreating or evolving and iterating from an original idea, concept or situation. I consider myself a good advisor because I am good at listening to people and detecting problems, I am perceptive and very analytic and introspective, and I like to have an objective point of view towards situations in order to get a bigger perspective and panorama. Though I sometimes I find it hard when it is about myself. I am a theorist in some aspects but like to see the effects of what I am doing which makes me a “hands on” and practical person more than a methodologist. I really believe in our natural mortise abilities and like to use them, more than technological ones. Therefore, my aim is to be able to aproach peoples lives throughout my design skills in order to make it easier or better in any aspect. I will be working or designing for indigenous communities and my interest is to have a positive impact in their lives by bringing in simple designs that can create an opportunity for them to come out of poverty. it is a heavy challenge, but a satisfactory and life experience opportunity.
Introduction.
My fourth´s year project is about engaging with the indigenous communities from the south east of Mexico, that are established in the mountains and in many cases away from the towns and villages and do not count with many of the main services we give for granted in our everyday lives such as water and adequate sanitation, electricity or medical services, so the objective would be to use design in their everyday’s life in order to improve their standards of living. I will be researching throw different sources, about their lives in order to identify design solutions within the problems they confront every day. These indigenous communities live in the toughest, most rudimentary and poor conditions of life, where they struggle every day with no medical access, limited food because of their really low income. “According to statistics from the world bank and other NGO´s their income is lower than 2 dollars a day”. Smith [2007] I believe there is an opportunity and a need for stoves designed to be made with the local materials, which aim to reduce the amount of fuel needed for cooking, and that generate alternative possibilities for healthier and more sustainable cooking fuels, which are worth exploring as well and devices to produce it, these should also include a chimney or escape for the fumes produced in order to reduce these health issues. Another aspect as well included is to reduce or prevent completely, if possible, the accidents caused by the fire, all of these of course including ergonomic and design factors that suit the customer which in this case are the Mexican indigenous communities.
Background/ Historical Review. Context. These communities live in little huts “casitas” made from materials commonly found around them like “techo de laminas” sheets of metal as a roof and pieces of wood and play, with the most basic structures and spaces inside for a whole family to live in. Many of these families get their income through agricultural products such as corn which they sell for $3.50 pesos the kg which is more or less 30 cents of a dollar, coffee for $19 pesos kg ($1.9 dollars), beans, honey and some few from animals which they rise and sell once they are grown up. They sell a goat for about $600 to $700 dollars. These prices are not competitive to the bigger agricultural corporations, and since their income is so low, many family members have to migrate to the cities and the U.S. to be able to bring in more money. These communities use wood, charcoal or dung for their cooking and heating needs, “and while the total energy demands of the developing world are much smaller than in industrialized regions, the dependence on these biofuels as an energy source has dramatic health, economic, and environmental consequences” Amy Smith [2007], simple designs that could save millions of children lives.
Facts. Extremely poor conditions, These families live with less Than $2 dlls. a day. No easy access to the main services, such as water, electricity, or health services. They live from their agricultural products, such as corn, coffee, honey, and some animals like goats. They use wood to meet their energy needs, such as cooking and heeating. The dependence on these biofuels as an energy source has dramatic health, economic, and environmental consequences. In the world, the leading cause of death in children between the age of 1 and 5 is not malnutrition, diarrhea, or malaria, but respiratory illness, caused in large part by breathing smoke from indoor cooking fires.
Related works. Fuels from the fields: Amy Smith. Kenya Ceramic Jiko. Peterson Press. Fuel Briquettes. Onil Stoves. KickStart Organization. Reliable Renewable Rural Energy. (SELCO) Jose Maria Morelos Solar Kitchen. among many others.
Problem Statement.
Recognition Of Need
Definition Of Problem
For these communities in Mexico, it costs them around $700 pesos ($70 dlls.) to buy wood for cooking and heating matters. This would last around a month for a family, and they have to walk many kilometers to collect it and carry it back home. Wood fuel consumption causes severe deforestation and shortages of fuel in many areas. As deforestation grows, besides from the ecological impacts, these people have to walk further away to meet their needs. Some other problems identified, and where I believe there is an opportunity are the following. When women have to cook for their family´s food, besides from having to get the wood used as a cooking fuel, families get many health problems caused because of the smokes released while cooking in closed spaces (inside their homes) where all the family waits, eats, plays… this brings severe breathing diseases not only to the person who cooks, but also to the rest of the family, primarlilly to kids, causing cough, emphysemas, cancer and similar diseases to those caused by smoking, as well as problems to their sight, amongst many others. “compared to gas stoves, wood burning stoves release fifty times more particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons during cooking” World Health Organization. And “the leading cause of death in children between the age of 1 and 5 is not malnutrition, diarrhea, or malaria, but respiratory illness caused in large part by breathing smoke from indoor cooking fires” Smith [2007], design for the other 90%. It is also a typical situation that kids have accidents with the fire and get burnt since the fire is in the middle of the place where the family does everything, kids play around and occasionally hit or stumble with their actual unstable and fragile casseroles and stoves made by them. Another big problem within these communities is the amount of waste they have, both organic and inorganic. They don´t have a recycling culture or even proper waste recollection systems. A main problem is the plastic waste which they were not used to, but they receive from products that have great distribution lines that reach those places such as coca-cola. This becomes a problem because all the products that come in and they can´t get rid of, and end up polluting the rivers and soil. This, as a consequence affects directly their agricultural life.
These problems add up to: cost, health, injuries, environmental damage and dependence. Some attempts to attack the previous problems have been followed by a large amount of organizations, where they had developed some stoves in order to improve these conditions, but have had little success throughout the communities; some of the reasons are the following: • Because they are not thought to be made with local materials and the people can´t be bothered going to source it, since they don’t know or realize the gravity of using their actual ones. • It is not clear for the locals how to build them, and if there is no one from the organizations to explain, they can´t do it. • The ones that are already made, these people don’t understand properly how they work and lift up the lids and steel plates to get access to the fire and turns out useless. • Some others use it as tables, benches or places to put their things and other belongings on top of it since they don´t have other places for storage. • Ergonomic factors are not considered and they are either to high or to low for them to use comfortably. • Cultural reasons, some stoves where designed so the woman who cooks isn´t near the floor since it is despective and positions women below, but they would be to high and would become uncomfortable for them to use. • Or simply because they find it occupies way to much space in their little places, and it is not worth sacrificing space for that.
Design Methods Overview this project will be driven by different methodologies applied in order to obtain the best result possible. it will include: Case studies: this will allow me to know what has been done, and use the information obtained with other similar projects. analyze what has been succesfull and what has failed, what could have been improved. Understanding the social group: in order to design I have to be aware of who is the customer to fit his necestities, this will include reading relevant literature and posibly communicating with these people through letters, friends and internet. Quantitative: a survey applied in the community, to have accurate information of the context, problem. Information gathered through cuestionaries filled and sent by people in these communities. Qualitative: numbers/statistics also given by research data and field exploration through known people that visit these communities often.
Surveys. Las siguientes son una serie de preguntas y datos simples que serán útiles para el proceso de investigación, documentación y planteamiento de problemas y generación de posibilidades de diseño para las comunidades. Es importante que las llenen con la gente de las comunidades, de este modo no se vuelve únicamente la percepción de quien va, sino que también la voz de quien lo vive. De ser posible, complementar la información con fotos y pequeños videos. E intenta hacerlo con diferentes personas de la comunidad: ej. Niños, jóvenes, adultos, viejos. No modifiques la información y entre más específica y detallada sea es mas útil. Tu nombre: Nombre de la comunidad y fecha: Nombre y edad de quienes son encuestados: IDENTIFICACION DE PROBLEMAS O DIFICULTADES EN LABORES COTIDIANAS. 1.- ¿Cuales son las labores cotidianas? Ej. Describe un día normal en su vida 2.- ¿Que problemas identificas en las labores cotidianas de la gente? Agricultura: Preparación de alimentos: Cocina: Recolección de bienes: Acceso a agua potable y alimentos: Otros:
3.- ¿A que problemas o dificultades se enfrentan al llevar a cabo sus labores? 4.- ¿Que los detiene de poder realizar alguna labor? ALIMENTACION 1.- ¿Que comen? 2.- ¿De donde viene, como lo consiguen, cuanto les cuesta, como lo cocinan? 3.- ¿Cual es el Ciclo y vida de su agricultura (tiempo que tardan en crecerlo, donde acaba el producto, y tiempo en el que lo consumen o venden)? 4.- ¿Que pasa con los productos que cosechan o crecen (los consumen o lo venden, de que forma)? 5.- ¿Como los consumen y que hacen con lo que no se consume? 6.- ¿Como los venden y Qué hacen con lo que no se vende? 7.- ¿Que desperdicios hay? IDENTIFICACION DE RECURSOS LOCALES. 1.- ¿Cuales son los materiales locales? Que puedes encontrar el entorno. Ej. Tipo de suelo (barro, arena…)? Plásticos bolsas de basura, botellas…)? Metales (latas, varillas…)? 2.- ¿Que materiales y herramientas tienen para la construcción? ¿Acceso a cemento? ¿Varillas de acero? ¿Tabique o ladrillo? 3.- ¿Cuáles y que tan accesibles son otros materiales en Pueblos cerca de ahí? DESHECHOS 1.- ¿Cuales son los desechos orgánicos que producen? ¿Que hacen con ellos? ¿Donde acaban? 2.- ¿Cuales son los desechos inorgánicos que se producen? ¿Que hacen con ellos? ¿Donde acaban?
Encuestas ENERGIA 1.- ¿Cuál es su fuente de electricidad (si la hay)? 2.- ¿Que fuentes para generación de energía hay en el lugar? Ej. leña, carbón, gas, petróleo. 3.- ¿Cual usan, para que y porque? Ej. Leña para cocinar y calentar porque es lo mas accesible y barato. 4.- ¿Que tan accesibles son? ¿Cuánto cuesta? ¿Cuánto necesitan? ¿De donde y como lo traen? 5.- ¿Que fuentes alternativas para generación de energía puedes ver? Ej. Viento, flujo de agua (ríos), solar, lagos, desechos orgánicos (¿cuales?). HERRAMIENTAS 1.- ¿Que herramientas usan para preparar alimentos? Ej. Desgranar maíz, hacer masa… Describe. 2.- ¿Que herramientas usan para cocinar? Describe. 3.- ¿Que herramientas usan para la agricultura? Describe. 4.- ¿Que herramientas usan para la ganadería? Describe. 5.- ¿Que deficiencias identificas en ellas? (económicas, ergonómicas, funcionales, materiales…) Describe. 6.-¿Que se podría cambiar para mejorarlas? Muchas gracias por tu ayuda!!!
The Project. , I believe there is an opportunity and a need for stoves designed to be made with the local materials, which aim to reduce the amount of fuel needed for cooking, and that generate alternative possibilities for healthier and more sustainable cooking fuels, which are worth exploring as well and devices to produce it, these should also include a chimney or escape for the fumes produced in order to reduce these health issues. Another aspect as well included is to reduce or prevent completely, if possible, the accidents caused by the fire, all of these of course including ergonomic and design factors that suit the customer which in this case are the Mexican indigenous communities. For this project it will be necessary to have a clear idea of what is being done around the world in this area, what could be included in my project and what material is of relevance.
In the research I have done so far I have found people who are developing alternative cooking fuels which is totally of my concern, such as Amy Smith an engineer from MIT who has been during the last years developing techniques to make charcoal out of corn cobs, which is one of their main resources and alimentary diet of these communities I want to work with, other scientists turning organic and agricultural waste into something useful in this case cooking devises. As well as what other designers are doing in this field such as Jeff Chapin a designer who is working with communities in Cambodia but is immersed in “designing for the other 90%� and the methodologies and approaches he uses. It will not be easy to direct a project that is driven this far away from these communities but with the help of some friends and organizations back in Mexico I will be able to obtain important data and information which I will be using parallel to the information sources and technologies that a first world can offer.
Summary
The intention of this project is to use the strategic process of a designer, which in this case is me, for the investigation, documentation, identification of problems and generation of possibilities and solutions of design within the communities. the creative process of design is used for the formulation of questions and methods that help to awake the eye of those who are not aware, or those who simply don’t have a critical view. with this the aim is to realize a project to improve any aspect of living conditions in poor communities in the south east of Mexico. the information obtained through different organizations located in Mexico, together with the research i do here, will be gathered and analyzed for the generation of ideas and alternatives of design that can help people in the communities, presenting the opportunity to bring sustainability for these people. this is a year long project, which counts with different stages, starting from researching, documenting, problem identification, generation of alternatives and possible solutions, concept developing and finally a manufacturable product. the idea is to use local materials so that the people them selves can make it and it can become a source for generating money. each community has its own conditions and different contexts so it is important to focus on a specific place or group with similar conditions in order to obtain the best results.
Conclusion
Within the communities...
To make this poject succsessfull, the diseign should:
Really low income.
* Be an income generating. the people should be able to create an income by using the design in order for it to become sustainable. * Return on investment. they should recover their investment in less than six months for it to become viable. * Affordability. affordability should rule the design, as cheap as possible. * Energy-efficiency. human powered tools that can be easy to use and powered by human force. * Ergonomics and safety. it must not include risks to the user as well as the maximum comfort to guarantee usability and efficiency. * Ease of instalation and use. must have a clear and easy use. * Strenght and durability. it will be used in the roughest conditions so it must guarantee a long life. * Available manufacturing capacity. with available materials and technologies to the communities. * Cultural acceptability. these communities have cultural traditions and beliefs which much be respected and included for them to accept the design and use it. * Environmental sustenability. it must improve conditions and have a positive impact in the environment.
Lack of basic services: water, electricity, health institutions. Cost of wood fot cooking and heating. Health, issues: 1) injuries from carrying wood from long distances. 2) respiratory illness, from breathing the smokes emited by these biofuels in indoor places. 3) accidents with the fire in reduced spaces. Environmental damage such as deforestation and carbon emitions. Dependence on wood as a source of energy for cooking and heating. These will be the guideline to my design and what I have to tackle in order to acheive a successfull design, that can in fact, improve any aspect of their lives.