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Sustainable energy and wastewater<br />
treatment as alternative/sustainable<br />
livelihood for costal communities<br />
RUNE LEITHE-ERIKSEN<br />
Ecology & Pioneering, Södra Larmgatan 12, S-411 16 Gothenburg, Sweden<br />
Energy is the basic resource for development and<br />
economic growth, but its use affects regional ecosystems,<br />
the global environment and the human condition.<br />
Two billion people world-wide depend primarily on<br />
wood for their energy needs, while biomass burning removes<br />
the forest cover and contributes up to 40 percent<br />
of global emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse<br />
gases. The energy situation has started to cause<br />
serious concern in many regions, especially the dependence<br />
on and the increasing scarcity of fuel-wood.<br />
To avert the crisis, suitable programmes for introducing<br />
alternative energy should be developed. Renewable<br />
energy technologies, such as solar cells and windmills,<br />
can promote energy self-sufficiency in developing<br />
nations, preserve the environment and reduce the threat<br />
of global warming.<br />
Over the past 40 years, the world’s agricultural,<br />
health and energy problems have largely been addressed<br />
from a technological standpoint. As populations increase<br />
and global energy demand doubles over the next<br />
20 years, a new strategy will be needed.<br />
Appropriate technology and renewable energy seem<br />
to be the obvious solutions, particularly in developing<br />
nations. However, many believe that renewable energy<br />
Most societies have a straight flow of raw<br />
materials, energy and waste. This has to be<br />
changed in order to achieve a sustainable<br />
society.<br />
Nature Processing Society End of the line<br />
– 84 –
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