Bio-Logs: An alternative to Firewood

Charcoal and firewood fire up 

The barbeques in the backyards 

More trees are cut for making a fire 

In Argentina, pomace, the leftover

extracts from apple, pear, and other fruits 

Spread on the grounds with sunshine 

For days to let the moisture dry 

Then it's laid in a brick-like thickness 

Again to dry to lose all moisture 

The dried thick slabs are cut into logs 

They provide similar thermal properties 

As charcoal and firewood does 

It infuses fruity flavor into the meat 

The pomace from olives is turned 

Into long bio-pellets as well in Greece 

Coconut husks and shells are pulverized 

And converted into short briquettes 

In Sierra Leone as an initiative to 

Replace firewood as it offers more heat 

These bio-logs can save thousands of trees, 

It can change the way people cook, grill, 

and barbecue in many countries 

Bio-logs could light up the fireplace 

In the winter in the old buildings 

And allow trees to capture more Co2

To fight the climate change in a small way 

I came across multiple alternatives for firewood and charcoal. I saw some videos from Business Insider telling stories of individuals making products that can transform the way people cook, grill, barbeque, or even heat. A lot of people might be already using these pellets, briquettes, and bio-logs made from fruit and farm waste from factories and in general. I am experimenting with poetry based on solutions available for solving issues affecting nature and climate. Images are taken from Business Insider. 

Reclaimed Earth Colors

Abandoned mines discharge 

Acidic mine drainage 

Full of oxides 

To the creeks and streams 

Making them toxic and polluted 

For years after the closure of the mine 

The sludge from the polluted streams 

Processed to remove impurities 

And dried at different temperatures 

To make powder of different colors 

When mixed with oil and additives 

And cold-pressed 

Magical paints of reclaimed earth colors emerge 

The tail ends from mines have lumps of minerals 

Crushing those minerals creates natural colors 

That can gloss pottery like in historical times 

Painters can give colors to their imaginations

With paints  made from the mine waste

And get closer to the nature 

To spread the message 

Of healing the nature 

This poem is inspired by a documentary of researchers from Ohio Department of Natural Resources, True Pigments LLC and gamblincolors converting AMD into the paint. Reclaimed Earth Colors is the brand of the paints produced in this manner.  This is not a paid promotion of the brand. I feel this is worthy of a shout-out due to the significance of their efforts. I also came across some other videos of converting minerals from tail end of the abandoned mines into paints. They're natural colors.