- Bio-energy production, biodiversity.
Abstract
A survey was conducted to identify the level of awareness among people regarding problems caused by invasive exotic weeds to our biodiversity and sense to use the same productively. Biogas is increasingly being used as an alternate cooking fuel in selected areas of urban and semi-urban Alappuzha during 2014-15.
Apart from survey visits, mass awareness programmes were also conducted to convey the potential and significance of usage of exotic weeds like Eichhornia for producing biogas at house hold level to deal with the twin issues that we face today ie. fuel depletion and rapid reduction of indigenous biodiversity.
The present study so far hints to the truth that the people of the current generation are severely over reliant on the fossil fuel, LPG. It was found in the survey that use of aquatic invasive weeds as major raw materials for biogas plants are not encouraged or implemented in each and every household. It is only because of the lack of understanding of importance of biodiversity conservation by the authorities concerned. In addition to production of green energy, roughly about two crores can be saved in revenue because that much amount is presently being spent for the ineffective efforts of removal of the weeds from our water
bodies, every year. Such measures are described here as futile because the removed quantum of weeds make a come back with double the vigor in another three months of sunshine. After analyzing survey reports we suggest that, dried exotic weeds must be made available at affordable rates to individual households. The greatest advantage of making use of exotic plant weeds as potential and constant source of bio energy is that inadvertently we are making way for the native biodiversity to flourish through. Besides we shall be able to extend our LPG cylinder for an extra month or two. This means not only energy savings but also sustainable use of undesirable vegetation on a long term basis. Such measures may not only help in accruing huge indirect monitory savings but also the awareness thus gained by citizens on biodiversity conservation can then be focused for understanding of natural ecosystems in a better way.