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The quest for fire: hazards of a daily struggle.

J. Manuel

Published 2003 in Environmental Health Perspectives

ABSTRACT

Ever since humans first nursed embers into flames with a pile of sticks, biomass fuels have played a key part in our survival. Biofuels delivered light, heat, and a means to cook food that was otherwise eaten raw. But that first whiff of smoke also signaled the arrival of a new set of health problems, for lungs were not meant to breathe soot, nor eyes to absorb smoke. Today, some 1 million years after humans learned to use fire, biofuels remain the principal fuel for heating and cooking for approximately one-third of the people on the planet, mostly in developing countries, according to the World Resources Institute. Biofuels are even enjoying a revival in the industrialized world, where they are seen as a less expensive and less polluting form of energy than fossil fuels. Yet severe health problems persist with burning traditional biofuels, and these problems particularly impact women and children. What are the promises and pitfalls of biofuels? And can they be used without sacrificing human health and harming the environment?

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