If you step foot in the countryside in the Republic of Georgia, you will likely notice the luscious greenery, magnificent mountains, and diverse vegetation. Unfortunately, the changing climate threatens many people’s way of life in these regions.
Driven by their love for their communities and our environment these small rural towns are part of the movement to protect not only their homes but the place we all call home: planet earth!
Our local partner, Rural Communities Development Agency, is leading the movement. RCDA develops and implements climate-smart technologies that reduce the risks of climate disasters while helping communities create better livelihoods. The goal is to empower these rural towns while reducing factors that lead to eco-migration.
Rostom Gamisonia, director of RCDA, explained, “These are technologies that can be managed by rural communities locally. They are solar water heaters, fuel-efficient stoves, fruit and vegetable dryers, home heating systems, and fuel briquettes machines….This is very helpful for [communities] to improve their living conditions and at the same time, take care of the environment.”
Let’s take a closer look at these technologies and their impact:
Solar water heater
This technology can hold 150-200 liters of water and uses the sun’s energy to generate heat so families can enjoy hot water year-round. One of the participating families we met in Kavta told us that the solar water heater has been life-changing. The family’s young son has an illness that requires him to bathe multiple times a day. Thanks to this technology, the child can be taken care of in a comfortable bath and the family can worry less about energy expenses and focus more on their little boy.
Compost Garden
Compost gardens promote zero-waste and help families create nutritious soil that can be used to harvest crops. In addition to making healthy soil, compost gardens help attract helpful organisms that decrease the need for pesticides or fertilizers.
Briquette Maker
The briquette maker works by inserting a handful of bio-mass–such as paper, sawdust and agricultural waste–into the machine and turning the handle for about 20 seconds. After you do this, a perfectly brick-shaped “briquette” will come out. The briquette replaces firewood which in turn reduces both energy costs and environmental impacts.
Fuel-efficient Stove
Our fuel-efficient stoves can use less firewood to produce heat and cook food. They can also use briquettes so that less wood is consumed. Roin Iremadze, a community leader in Ghorjomi, explained, “the stove consumes less firewood and produces more [energy] which will reduce deforestation. Less firewood is wasted and therefore fewer trees are cut down.” Many
families also talked about how fuel-efficient stoves help keep homes warm without filling the home with smoke like a traditional stove.
Greywater Filter
Greywater is recycled water that individuals can safely use for activities such as washing clothes and bathing. This type of water is not heavily polluted and excludes toilet water. Through our greywater filters, sand and gravel clean the greywater, which is reused through irrigation systems.
Solar Dryer
One of the favorites among RCDA’s renewable technologies is the solar dryer, which uses solar energy to efficiently dry fruits and herbs. While undried fruit can expire in about a week, dried fruit can last for multiple months! This helps families reduce waste and save money by maximizing the lifespan of their vegetation. Many program participants have also found innovative ways to use their solar dryers.
Lilia and her husband, for example, use their solar dryer to dry medicinal plants which they then turn into ointments. Since learning how to successfully use their solar dryer, Lilia and her family have increased their income by selling their ointment in local pharmacies.
CWS is proud to support our Georgian neighbors as they take action for a healthier planet. You can join us in this movement by donating here. You can also learn more by watching our latest video about these technologies.
