A few times a month, Marhana leaves the village of Krui in southern Sumatra and journeys deep into the woods. Then she finds a tree, lined with triangular holes, each hole dripping with crystalized sap. Marhana (like many Indonesians, she uses only a first name) takes a woven rattan rope and lassos up the tree, climbing higher and higher, chipping away at the sap using a tiny pickaxe. "This is the damar," she says in Indonesian, as she looks at the golden droppings. Marhana may see damar as her way to make a living, but agriculture experts see this rare commodity as something bigger. They see damar as a sort of anti-palm oil — a model to combat deforestation and climate change. Damar isn’t a global household-name, but in Sumatra it goes way back. In the 1800s, Dutch colonists used the sap to bind their wood boats for sea journeys. Today damar is used in varnishes, paints, and cosmetics. According to the UN, Indonesia exports tens of thousands of tons of damar and other resins each year . But compared to Indonesia’s monthly exports of palm oil, that’s not so whopping. According to the Indonesian Palm Oil Organization, or […]
Latest Articles
Oil has Long Been Used as a Geopolitical Weapon. Could Electrified Transport Change That?
Takeaways: One crucial step to reducing carbon emissions is by moving the transportation system from fossil fuel to electricity.
Electricity is a major commodity...
Two Students Made Compostable Water Filters From Food Waste
Takeaway: Two students from Pratt Institute have created Strøm, a compostable water filters made from food waste.
The filters use activated charcoal which are...
A $1.1 Billion Gift Launches Stanford Sustainability School
Takeaways: Stanford University has announced a $1.1 billion donation to a new school designed to accelerate interdisciplinary scholarship on climate and sustainability issues.
The...
Protecting Nature’s Rights in the Court Room
Takeaways: A lawsuit has been filed against the developers planning to build on Lake Mary Jane in Orange County, to stop construction on the...
The Top 5 Happy Eco News Stories for May 16, 2022
The Top 5 Happy Eco News Stories for May 16, 2022 Thanks for reading the Top 5 Happy Eco News! This week we have two guest...
A New Electric Microcar Could Redefine Urban Mobility. By Folding?
Takeaways: The City Transformer can shrink down from 98 inches long to 39 inches in tight spots.
This car promises to reshape urban mobility...