So, what does all this mean? Trash is trash. No, not really. Some is better than others. Interestingly, when sugar cane trash is burned “to the nub,” it is caramelized or burnt to a crisp. This is no good in terms of “fixing” the latent energy in the crown of the sugar cane, let alone burning all the leaves, stems and leftovers. When all this trash is caramelized, it turns to carbon which has no energy. When the fields are not burned, there is energy contained in the crown and any leftovers. Further, by not burning, there’s no pollution! It’s a win-win scenario. Also, and very importantly, when there’s no field burning, the crowns can be tilled under and through decomposition, the total crown, roots, etc., can fertilize the soil and/or return to Mother Nature what is hers to further cultivate the crop for next year’s production.

Let’s get back to what’s happening. There’s labor extended by so many to burn row after row after row of sugar cane crowns and other waste left in the fields after manual or mechanical harvest. The fire, the more the pollution from this field burning is enough to sear the eyes of the beholder, let alone the poor laborer whose task it is to set ablaze these rows upon rows upon rows of sugar cane crowns and other “waste.” When you witness the destruction, the fire, the smoke, and the pollution, you get a sense of the aggregate environmental malaise that occurs annually and affects the world’s air quality. And this is just one small country! Think globally!! Where else does this occur: all of Latin America (Mexico, Central and South America), the Philippines, Hawaii, India, Asia, and …? Remember what happens when the volcano spews its smoke and ash; remember what happens when the Gobi Desert has a sand storm? The same holds true for field burning or co-gen of bunker oil, etc.? (Okay, I won’t get into what happens when 12 miles off shore, the cargo ships switch from diesel to bunker and… again pollute to the hilt in the “name of economy” the shipping lanes and “our” air, what happens?” To be sure, we will “feel” or “inhale” it.)