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Briquettes made out of coconut wastes can be a better alternative. Meaning since they burn slowly than charcoal, they can be reused again for the next dish preparing in the kitchen.
Continue making the briquettes while also planting water resistant trees, medicinal trees and huge strong trees. Bamboo is excellent for forests for quick root growth and tall canopy.
My man grew up on the streets of Sierra Leon, lost his family in a mudslide, and decided he was going to do something to change the world for the better, better his own life, and now better the life of ten other people who can now support families. That’s really awesome. I truly wish I could shake this young man’s hand, he’s an inspiration to me.
The video is BS. every place that have coconut tress use every part of the tree. They make coconut wine from the trees. They harvest coconut Remove the white stuff inside and let it dry which is sold. The hard shell is toasted to become charcoal in an man made oven by burning the outside fibers. This is done literally everywhere for some reason he just decided to grind it into a powder then mix it into blocks which is not really required. He did not care about the climate he just wanted money
@@Nickerian91 Your comment is BS. I live in one of those places and coconut waste is horribly abundant. Whole coconuts. Husks, frawns..all of it gets taken to a landfill like site and dumped...
@@BMarie774 doubtful people who live in poverty use everything they can. and its just common sense they aint gonna chop down coconut trees to make firewood when you can use the coconuts to make fire since the harvest is a big part of their income. i know everything about i i tend to visit provinces all over asia
I've been seeing lots of very good ideas lately about turning waste material into profit and I'm glad that Business Insider showcases these hard working people. I wish success for all of them!
1:09 PLASTIC (possibly food grade) CONTAINERS for charcoal like Coconut Waste???!!! It's coal or bio-char; it's "briquettes" ffs; a double layered paper bag (like coal briquettes for the BBQ that's been around for generations) is fine, sufficient, simple, responsible, and more.
Agreed 100% ! . I also realized it at times having to pay a premium for these types of goods for now are a reality . Honestly though if a pair of recycled plastic shoes still cost $120 to $150 , in the next 5 yr's then something is definitely amiss .
It's true there are a lot of very good business ideas coming out lately but sadly they are not supported enough by their respected government or international organization. They have to compete with big companies with enough capital and machineries to produce cheaper product made from plastic or etc. Inorder for these businesses to be competitive and really affect the market they have to reduce the price and cist of the product. There are millions of dollars that is put into getting plastic from the sea and etc. But if part of that money is used in this which adress the root problem? I think it will be better
Sorry to tell you guys but the title is misleading that "charred coconut shells" he is using is already charcoal, this product will not stop deforestation, it's a product for a small market (smokeless cooking that lights slightly faster than coconut charcoal).
His business is taking care of waste, providing jobs, providing a cost effective alternate energy source and reduces deforestation... it's quite impressive tbh!!!
And the best thing is: he's doing it at home, improving his homeland. Many enterpreneurs from Africa, India, and other countries, move abroad with their ideas. But that isn't going to solve the problems they faced at home. Their homes can only improve if they stay there and invest the money they earn back into their towns and vilages - such as building schools, buying the tree seedlings, or even promoting the politians that help them take care of their homes, as opposed to corrupted ones that move capital (whether financial or natural) away from their homes.
“It’s not easy, it takes time to build something great if it wasn’t everyone would do it” one of the truest statements ever. It take a dedicated caring person to push to make something like this a reality. I hope this man can keep thriving and can be a huge change in the world
@@curtisduvall380 one man could not build an empire, giving joint ownership is how successful companies motivate worker (employee stock options in Apple, Google, FB, Tesla, Amazon just to name the big boys)
*"Either this works... or it works"* and that's the kind of mindset that will help the world. This idea is very good and prevents natural disasters. Done through amounts of trials and error, we should be able to learn from him and his peers.
here's the cultural difference for those you who dont know. African Black: makes things that help him and tries to help his environment/world USA Black: tries to get famous by rapping or athletics. When it fails turns to crime and ends up in jail.
Too bad not everyone believes in science, they cut the trees down on a mountain. Of course the soil will go down eventually. The roots were holding the ground togteher. Its just basic science.
I hope Alhaji ends up getting everything he wishes for in life, trying so hard to stop deforestation while also making money to feed his family, such an inspiration! It would be cool if there was a way for us to support him directly!
@@impulsiveurge5837 do you know anything about business bruh??? 10 employees + raw material + shipment + processing. You think all that comes for free?
@@impulsiveurge5837 it's not about buying people. It's about investing and nurturing an idea that would make the world a better place. No help is small when a lot of people come together.
@@impulsiveurge5837 also the fact that you made my wholesome post into a condescending "this person has more money than that person so they're better than you" argument is kind of weird
These are old as hell. Coconut coals are far from new. These square coals hes making are hookah coals. Look up coconara. They've been around no less than 15 years, likely more Edit:just got to the part where she talks about it lol
This is very ingenious. Coconut shells are wood so if he can make it long lasting and able to keep high heat for cooking he has something very good going. He’s literally solving several problems and creating jobs. Great on him, wishing him all the best.
It seems all you need to do to make coconut wood as good as wood is burn it using fuel and then use clean water (another pretty valuable resource) to process it....doesn't sound ideal
@@zvezdoblyat If there isn't a drought, or they don't live in a desert, yes it's worth it. Chomping down 1 tree to create biofuel, is better than cutting down 7 trees to burn the exact same rate as the biofuel would have provided. As you would think they would stop immediately because of contradicting their vision of using less trees. As he lost his home due to landslides. Although I 'would' like to see some data on this, we won't know how effective it is unless there are some data scientists willing to publish a paper on it.
I actually purchased some coconut briquettes for my bbq awhile ago and I can confirm they burn longer and hotter then charcoal or heat beads. They are expensive, but great for low and slow smoking…
@@thatonehamster4130 In Chile we also use a lot of Charcoal for our asados too, i would use them in a heartbeat There is also a video about an Argentinian Entrepreneur making something similar using fibers from the juice making process, should be in this channel
I’m not easily impressed by entrepreneurs but this young man has my respect. He’s a true gift to this world, and I wish all the best to him and his family. Hope he is nothing but blessed in the future.
"If it wasn't tough, everyone would be doing it." all because he wanted his mother to stop struggling. all because he's experienced loss, and is doing something about that.
Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” King James Version (KJV) John 3:16 King James Version 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Galatians 3:26 King James Version 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Titus 3:5-7 King James Version 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Revelation 21:4 King James Version 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Matthew 28:19-20 King James Version 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Seirra Leone also is a country that while poor as dirt, doesn't have crippling State cronies that prevent competition from growing or operating. IE; all of the West.
Impressive young man. He tragically lost his adoptive family when he was 17 & ended up on the streets. Now he is working hard & is an entrepreneur with bold ideas such as the coconut waste fuel briquettes. Not only is his work obviously going to provide for him & his family, but he is helping other through his work. His work also obviously helpful to the environment & he is creating a new product, demand & market which will have a positive impact on his community & beyond. Good stuff
Thanks bro. I dont have eyes or ears and keep trying to watch youtube videos, so I need this. Blessed brother. Maybe you can start a business where you tell me what you saw in the video in the comment box?
@@J.C... thing is we have tons of Technology like that. Great deal of expert and governments just lack competency. And it's a broad human thing to struggle like getting desperate enough to make a solution. Why so many people jump to do in a ban, because it's a whole that then after that somebody would come up with something rather than doing it in the first place.
Coconut briquettes are a OLD thing, these videos really are made for city people that are completely detached from reality. Obviously doesn't take anything away from this young man trying to build something and working hard on it in such environment, props to him! But the way they take him forward as innovative or new thinking is a straight up lie, there's nothing innovative in what he does. The "secret ingredients" are a binder (starch or waste paper pulp) and an accelerant (sodium nitrate or wax), information is widely available online.
@@teosoderholm96 I agree. A lot of people seeing what he is doing as innovative but it's really not. We also have briquettes and charcoal plants in our rural areas and they cause a lot of smoke and pollution. Not to mention it harms the local forest life and areas if they are left unchecked. But this does present a good success story for this guy. If there's anything to be amazed here; it's the work hard mentality of this man. And he is helping his community as well.
Real man realising real problems and making real changes, unlike many celebrities who preach about climate change yet do nothing practical to help the situation.
The ultimate issue is that society-scale problems can't be effectively solved by individual action. And the people against taking real society-scale steps view those same celebrities as the enemy anyway.
ikr. Lost his adoptive family in a mudslide. Was on his own in the streets. Instead of being bitter and making excuses (Like I would and hate the world). He chose to help save it. Shows how much I need to mature and improve as a person. Really motivating.
I'd rather see stories like this than half the crap that comes across TH-cam now days... Great story and such a fine example of a young man doing what he can to make the world better.
Just few days ago I was telling a colleague at work about starting a business like this. Not knowing by then that someone is already doing it in my country. Wow. Continue with the good work bro.
Robert Lee yes, if he's actually already got distribution in countries like germany, there probably is real potential for growth because the stuff can sell for a lot more money in those markets than if it competes with charcoal in sierra leone. well, competing with charcoal in sierra leone is the point, but that could also eventually be achieved more effectively if the business makes enough money to optimize and increase production with better machines.
Yes I suggest you try and contact him to attempt to expand, or start yourself and try to group together the idea of the product. Careful with assholes In the comments spamming fake numbers
i would say do it yourself, as there is plenty of waste and opportunity, but by the look of things most of his money is coming from out of country, i would recommend looking up activated charcoal and seeing if you might find a better market selling the resource to the outside world, or focus on developing a stove specifically to take advantage of the benefits of dense coconut charcoal. it really cannot replace would charcoal for cooking if you have to use the same amount of vastly more expensive coconut charcoal.
There‘s also coco charcoal produced in my home country (Thailand) but it is still also not commonly used either. Thanks to the channel for raising this to the public limelight globally.
I'm from Samoa and we do coconut charcoal aswell. We dont grind down and form into bricks though. We simply carbonize the shell and use that to cook with. Adds a lovely flavor to all foods.
Honestly, it seems to rely on the area consuming alot of coconut. The idea of using waste to make other products is great but you need the waste to make the product
@@arthand7672 I'd say you have a misconception there that can be easily cleared up. You think that it's necessary for the area to consume a lot of coconuts, but no the coconuts are used because they're the most available biomass in the area. However there are different types of biomass in different places specially when it comes to waste so this is just the most available resource for which a formula already exists to make it into a very effective form of fuel for the area that still uses charcoal for cooking or other such things.
Polynesians and other indigenous people around the world (who happened to live near sea) have always reverred and worshipped the coconut tree as the tree that gives you life. And I see it why. On an island where water is all saline coconut trees can give you so much of water (and electrolytes too) The leaves are extremely good for making a roof. I'm sure that the husk was definitely used as fuel for fire. Husk can also be used to make ropes I think. Then also for paper. Hard shell covering can be used as a bowl for eating and maybe the list can go on and on. All in all a coconut tree can help with our nourishment in variety of ways.
100% of what you said is true for us, we are south Indian living near sea shore. We rever and worship coconut tree as everypart of it is useful to us. We try not to cut them as much as possible
"If it was not tough, everybody will have done it" Facts! Wishing Alhaji and team all the best in his entreprenuerial endevours. Thanks BI for producing this interesting video.
It's amazing what this guy is doing, but it's deceptively framed: While a lot of people do cut down trees to make firewood, the vast majority of deforestation is due to business activities: 10 million slow-growing rosewood trees were shipped out of the country in 2019, and were sold for less than $2.50 each. The economic plunder of Sierra Leone's natural resources by soulless corporations is the main contributor to mudslides, not people chopping firewood. I am in awe of this man and what he's doing, but you need to be honest. This story is not honest.
Burning biomass is seriously polluting to the air that he, any family, and the community is breathing. The shells could be composted and used as a mulch to protect degraded soil.
Coconut shells are wood. I hope more people realize that and uses his product. Such a wise young man and I wish many blessings to him and his family and businesses. Especially since the product burns longer than wood too makes sense to use his product instead of wood. It will save tons of trees and wildlife and help prevent disasters to villages that have mudslides etc. It will help save lives and provide jobs. Best wishes to this young man.
@@sukatidi yes of course if you compare it with softwood. But if you compare it with hardwood, like rosewood, it's the same. I mean, i compare it by its carbon mass, not by its size.
@@sukatidi Ever heard of the "poor tax" or whatever its called? These poor people lack the capital for initial investment..like when poor people spent (in theory) more money on boots/shoes than the rich because the boots they could afford were of much lower quality. The financial barrier among people who live paycheck to paycheck is just too big even if its better for them in the long run. You can see similar thinking all around the world. For example people buying things for monthly payments even though its considerably more expensive than buying it outright. Its why people who spend too much but also people who save too much will never really own shit - need to find the balance where you save on yourself but also spend the money where its needed in the long run.
Best part about this is that his idea can easily be scaled up to a large factory version. It can even become one of his countries easy exports to help with both deforestation, carbon emissions used by wood fires and waste issue from coconut shells. This is a company you would want to invest in
@@Mobin92 i would assume there is a lot of coconut shell waste from producing other coconut products so they could probably make it work somehow, but i'm not a professional so i could totally be wrong..
They lost 70% of their forest in the last 5 decades and you think you can replace that with some cocoput shells... He sells it for shishas. It's effectively a luxus product. Also, people use fires to cook. That's a very inefficient way. They do it because they are poor and wood is cheap, especially if harvested illegaly, which is the problem in this region. Some people...
@@iwankazlow2268 They have made the plan to reforest. Plant over one million trees as a start to re greening their part of town. It will take time and effort. As a small business, of course he has to start small, but he's been working on expanding. He's won awards and has customers from other places. He's trying to address the issue of people cutting down the trees. I understand that they are poor, but removing their natural habitat is having a greater economic affect on them. Where do you suppose he start? It is a town initiative to a problem they will hopefully figure out as a town.
My family tested coconut briquettes last year and they worked very well and after the barbecue was over even the little coal pieces were hot enough to make perfectly brown marshmallows
This man deserves all the success in the world and then some. To lose so much, and turn that loss into a drive to preserve our planet takes immense character. I don't know how realistic this is, but it would be amazing if someday, I start seeing coconut-based fuel for sale in the states, courtesy of him.
WOW! This is amazing! I hope he doesn't lose his formula or patent or whatever to corporations looking to undermine his product and take advantage of him.
Well, it's not a rocket science actually. You can find natural sticky gum in Forest, which when dissolved in water can act as a binder that can easily bind carbon particles. It's cheap and convenient. Appreciate the effort of this Young man though.
After all we are still burning things. If the oil/coal lobby would budge we could start getting more renewable energy, stop deforestation and help more people. Yet US , Russia and the Saudis aren't going to stop anytime soon fueling the war machine for oil/gas/ weapons. It is too profitable.
@@jamesbelcher896 wow what an ingenious idea. Want a nobel prize nomination? I'm sure they have a category for oversimplified solutions by idiots with zero understanding of nuaces
@@jamesbelcher896 Trees take years to grow and a day to cut down - as long as there are assholes not caring about the environment and not held accountable then planting trees will not be enough
Maybe,they won't because their so lazy in life and wanna watch youtube videos everyday,smh not the first but what a shame...Now this is what we CALL a low value man :)
This is honestly a no brainer, the shells are already going to be thrown out and they help prevent soil erosion. This truly can help save lives and prevent future landslide deaths
Now this is truly inspiring. This is what the world needs to see and maybe this young man’s story will influence other young people to change the world for the positive.
I'm glad he found a way to try to cut down on deforestation and I'm glad to see such a video in the first place. My Mom and I love watching nature documentaries and other things related to nature. When I first moved to Meadowview though, there was 2 big chestnut trees growing right in front of my trailer and since my mom lives right in front of me, we both hated the prickly things the shells were in. I was thankful when one tree broke in half, landed on my mom's shed - no one was hurt and the shed was okay -, and got chopped to pieces. However, I've been wanting to grow other trees in place of the old trees that I think I can tolerate better such maple trees. I doubt it can stop soil erosion but I know the birds and cats would appreciate it eventually but judging from how the stumps - the other was chopped down too, my family was concerned about the big dead branches hanging over my car - sometimes grow branches, I don't know if I can grow a maple tree in place of them.
If you cannot grow the trees of your choice I'd highly suggest putting some shrubs or strong rooted bushes (just make sure its not in a place where the roots will grow through wiring/pipes!). This will give a place for smaller birds to live and help support the ground in a similar capacity. Good luck planting!
Coconut is expensive in my country they also use it especially for cooking oil so it's very important to use the used shells instead of throwing them out everywhere. Country like Africa is blessed with tons of trees and wildlife. They should use it well.
This man needs some support from us because his idea is great. Whoever can contribute in any way (sharing his work on social media, helping him financially etc.) would help making this planet a better place.
Kudos to the guy, a true environmentalist and entrepreneur and his idea came from a tragedy and pain, he deserves to be successful. And even the mayor won on promise of replantation of trees, I can never imagine a politician presenting this agenda in her/ his manifesto in my country.
Man in a depressing 2020, seeing amazing people like Alhaji really give a bit of hope. I do hope his business continues to make profit to the point he has like a massive working force.
I love seeing innovation in other countries, for their countries. The answer to making life better isn't always running to a better country, it's making your country better! God bless that guy 👊
I grew up in London and I spend most days out of motivation and struggling with ADHD but I have brilliant business ideas constantly running in my head. This kid grew up on the streets, lost his loved ones, and now giving speeches in Harvard and has a profitable business. Damn, I feel undeserving of my priviledge, when I think of how there might be million of more smarter kids and people stuck living on streets, who could implement all the business ideas I have a lot better than I can, or make a much more bigger impact from all the priviledges I have.
I wish the world would appreciate him a bit more. All entrepreneurs working for a good cause and trying to save the environment should be highlighted all over the world and their products be available everywhere
What a legend! He started with the desire to support his family and stop deforestation. I mean that is the definition of a Nobel endeavour! I wish you all the luck in the world my friend.
Been using cocoshell briquettes in my smoker for the last year. I find them brilliant less ash waste and longer burning than lump wood charcoal. It’s the way forward. Also better for the environment.
@@nururim nothing out of the ordinary if you use a chimney and natural firefighters there is no smell and not a lot of smoke I wouldn’t use anything else. They take about 20-30 mins to get up to temp but once they do the heat from them is brilliant and 1 chimney which is about 30 ish cubes will last for about 6 hours.
@@videos40058 he doesnt need to use woods to burn the coconut husk and all other waste coming from coconut because it will burn all by itself but well by burning it also emits co2 but atleast he intends to save other types of trees that are being used as firewoods.
“World wide waste” , We should make this a common practice in the world to make coconut coals instead of wood. Shout out to Alhaji, needs more contributions 👏
This guy right here is a very unusual combination of smarts, determination and compassion. The real deal ladies and gentleman. It's a miracle he made it under such dire circumstances and a shame we're wasting talent like this every day.
I am soooooo proud if this guy! He's a true entreperneur & Im sure his adoptive and biological parents would've been extremely proud of him. His determination is also motivational. Kudos to you man.
Imagine this on a global scale: an incredible amount of potential fuel, all from something that not only provides energy but also serves as food. And you don’t have to cut down the trees but simply take care of them so they can produce more coconuts, offering food, water, and fuel all in one. This man behind this idea truly deserves all the success, and I hope to see this project grow even bigger in the coming years.
What a great idea. I really hope he succeeds and the idea takes off in all countries that have sufficient coconuts. What an inspiration this young man is.
Not a new idea though. I can buy this in my local supermarket in holland. Still a great cause though, especially in countries where this isn't as big and easy to get.
Check out Swades, while the main character comes from a wealthy background, it shows exactly what needs to be done to make the world a better place for the poorest of the poor.
he is not a real hero though. this report is totally bizarre in that it left out any knowledge of how this relates to the world and the context. First of all most trees are cut down for cattle raising. That is what is causing African continent to become total desert. Secondly he didn't invent this. It is an old idea which is done better elsewhere. Also there is another product you can make which doesn't have to be brickettes... you can make charcoal - and that would actually be economically viable to sell locally instead of ship overseas hoping some one will buy it (the transporting of the material negates any benefit to environment) And to reduce the amount of wood homes need to cook food they should all be using rocket stoves. I saw the bullshit fires they had in the clip - such terrible waste of wood..
I've seen plenty of people doing this in my country, it's a well known trade here. We always have two kinds of options for charcoal, coco shell and wood. Coco shell has way better quality, lasts longer and makes less smoke. Problem is it's never going to be NEARLY enough, it's almost no different than wood. Production takes longer so it tends to be more expensive than wooden fuel too, and considering wooden fuel is basically free (at the expense of the environment), poorer families will still go for wood.
True In India we have big business (since many decades ) of charcoal balls made using farm waste mostly Rice husk. Now we are moving away from it toward bio ethanol and methane production
@@sociallyresponsiblexenomor7608 yeah, it's really a matter of whether you can afford five-dollar shoes that last at most a year or seventy-five-dollar shoes that can last you a lifetime
This is phenomenal! As an African concerned with climate change and it’s effects on the continent, this was very enlightening. In my country we are chopping down trees for charcoal and we need a sustainable alternative, this is so motivating!
What a wonderful idea to take something that would generally be discarded, and to find a way for it to be used. The world needs entrepreneurs from all walks of life.
Coconut briquettes are something that has also been used here in indonesia for a long time,it cost about 10.000 IDR per kg,which is about 70 to 80 US cents.
This is amazing. There are billionaires who get praise for their inventions that don’t even go to a better cause but this young man is literally is growing a business that contributes to saving the planet. I wish him and his crew nothing but success ❤️
@@EtchGames arent coco cubes and his product for different things? i mean sure both are made of coconut and are cubes but one is for fire and the other is for plants
The coconut fibers could also be used for eco paper products, eco to go containers, woven or micro woven fabrics for auto Industry, truck Industry, airlines Industry, clothing for men, women, children, pets with legs. The fibers of coconut can be used to reinforce clay terracotta stones for roofing tiles and floor tiles. The fibers of coconut can be used to make steam pressure compressed objects such as sandals and floatation devices for fishing, or made into water proof fishing nets.
So can marijuana plants, they're incredibly versatile. You can make better clothes, paper, food out of them, and they're able to grow anywhere. We, as a society, must make sure coconuts aren't demonized just because they're versatile and abandoned.
@@alittleofsomething you are right, just it's called hemp not "mj". It is grown just for the fibers and thc in those is minimal. Otherwise good point. Poeple were using hemp for fibers for a veeeeeeeery long time :)
I genuinely love seeing this, its not just the drive to produce something to benefit the world around him. He's also doing what he wanted to do, here's hoping it inspires others to do similar or join him in his effort.
Coconut briquettes or coconut charcoal is standard in Asia. Nice seeing Africa developing a sustainable solution. Also coconut coir fibre is used to secure land against soil erosion on both land and rivers.
@@randybobandy9828 Just use hemp for the plant fibers, at least you don't get accused by suspicious government or targeted by crime syndicates thinking you are competition.
Shrewd entrepreneur identified real-time problems. Solved multiple problems with his product Idea. Waste management, helping to reduce deforestation, and less smoke creation while using fuel for burning impacts health issues resolution too. His efforts are very much appreciated. People like him shall get success and funding so that they can work on more ideas.
I am happy at least some people saw the irony of the plastic packaging. It discredits the whole premise of trying to protect nature. This said, it can be fixed quite easily. Props to this guy for his brilliant idea.
this guy is burning woood to carbonate them, its a big problem. as he is generating twice as much co2 in atmosfere then just burning wood . He is a problem in your society
Brickettes burn longer because of the fine carbonized powder. Doesn't matter where the carbonized material is coming from, husks or wood, as long as it's cellulose.
Huge respect to Alhaji for creating this biomass to replace firewoods as cooking fuel. This is a great and an outstanding solution to preserve The Earth. Thank you and good luck.
Economics, needs, and ethics all working together for this. Utilizing what once was waste to make something new and useful, doing it for the need to prevent landslides, and because these people believe its the right thing to do Honestly makes my day
its already quite common in a lot of space but its not that sustainable it take a lot of time to grow and then to make can never top the production of charcoal
The smoke coming out of the pipe is called syngas and it's VERY useful but poisonous. You can reroute the top pipe so that the gas is burnt underneath so you won't have to use as much fuel to carbonize. Or if you're very careful you can use it for cooking gas. Look into a device called a gasometer. It's a storage tank.
@@vonfrenky I wouldn't say stupid because what he's done takes smarts. We are the stupid ones not putting the char into soil for permanent fertilizer. It might even be enough to offset some of the CO2 in the atmosphere.
I feel like developing nations already have a lot of ideas to reduce waste, thanks to Business Insider for showcasing them. All the developed countries need to adapt to them at a massive scale.
@Dan Trebune yes, because already developed nations just exported their pollution to developping nations. Also, the polluting emissions of developped nations, especially per capita are higher than multiple developping nations combined.
One of THE most enjoyable subjects to watch …the “alternative” ways to “re” use waste. As I am an incredibly privileged person, Icelandic, a country that is 97% sustainable in all energy I’m constantly searching and fascinated by the various projects in this category. Not to mention that because of people like this man … this problem …this may be tiny but it’s real and shows the possibility and well a : my faith in humanity being able to climb this mountain rises faster than I thought possible!
ikr. Lost his adoptive family in a mudslide. Was on his own in the streets. Instead of being bitter and making excuses (Like I would and hate the world). He chose to help save it. Shows how much I need to mature and improve as a person. Really motivating.
@@dopeytripod in places where municipal garbage disposal doesn't exist people just throw their trash on the ground, its a cultural thing in developing nations and not really frowned upon or against the law.
@@01mustang05 I think you are being a bit over critical, the culture around products in this part of the world incentivizes this packaging as a marketing technique to show that it is superior. Because it is more expensive he uses a more western packaging style, zero waste isnt exactly on sierra Leone's radar because that country is in a completely different place culturally and it is likely that these packages are reused many times until they are unusable.
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Thanks so much!
i think its a very good idea to do so, i encourage it
Briquettes made out of coconut wastes can be a better alternative. Meaning since they burn slowly than charcoal, they can be reused again for the next dish preparing in the kitchen.
Continue making the briquettes while also planting water resistant trees, medicinal trees and huge strong trees. Bamboo is excellent for forests for quick root growth and tall canopy.
is there an update to what hes doing now? like did his invention worked??
Geoengineering is a big problem too causing these mudslides
My man grew up on the streets of Sierra Leon, lost his family in a mudslide, and decided he was going to do something to change the world for the better, better his own life, and now better the life of ten other people who can now support families. That’s really awesome. I truly wish I could shake this young man’s hand, he’s an inspiration to me.
Likewise.
Cool profile girl
The video is BS. every place that have coconut tress use every part of the tree.
They make coconut wine from the trees.
They harvest coconut Remove the white stuff inside and let it dry which is sold.
The hard shell is toasted to become charcoal in an man made oven by burning the outside fibers.
This is done literally everywhere for some reason he just decided to grind it into a powder then mix it into blocks which is not really required.
He did not care about the climate he just wanted money
@@Nickerian91 Your comment is BS. I live in one of those places and coconut waste is horribly abundant. Whole coconuts. Husks, frawns..all of it gets taken to a landfill like site and dumped...
@@BMarie774 doubtful people who live in poverty use everything they can.
and its just common sense they aint gonna chop down coconut trees to make firewood when you can use the coconuts to make fire since the harvest is a big part of their income.
i know everything about i i tend to visit provinces all over asia
I've been seeing lots of very good ideas lately about turning waste material into profit and I'm glad that Business Insider showcases these hard working people. I wish success for all of them!
Especially in Africa 💯👀
1:09 PLASTIC (possibly food grade) CONTAINERS for charcoal like Coconut Waste???!!! It's coal or bio-char; it's "briquettes" ffs; a double layered paper bag (like coal briquettes for the BBQ that's been around for generations) is fine, sufficient, simple, responsible, and more.
Agreed 100% ! . I also realized it at times having to pay a premium for these types of goods for now are a reality . Honestly though if a pair of recycled plastic shoes still cost $120 to $150 , in the next 5 yr's then something is definitely amiss .
It's true there are a lot of very good business ideas coming out lately but sadly they are not supported enough by their respected government or international organization. They have to compete with big companies with enough capital and machineries to produce cheaper product made from plastic or etc. Inorder for these businesses to be competitive and really affect the market they have to reduce the price and cist of the product. There are millions of dollars that is put into getting plastic from the sea and etc. But if part of that money is used in this which adress the root problem? I think it will be better
Sorry to tell you guys but the title is misleading that "charred coconut shells" he is using is already charcoal, this product will not stop deforestation, it's a product for a small market (smokeless cooking that lights slightly faster than coconut charcoal).
His business is taking care of waste, providing jobs, providing a cost effective alternate energy source and reduces deforestation... it's quite impressive tbh!!!
absolutely
All while 100% of the technology they use was created by the white man. And they can still barely figure out how to operate it.
👍👌
Are u not indian? Dont you know indians burn all coconut parts?
And the best thing is: he's doing it at home, improving his homeland. Many enterpreneurs from Africa, India, and other countries, move abroad with their ideas. But that isn't going to solve the problems they faced at home. Their homes can only improve if they stay there and invest the money they earn back into their towns and vilages - such as building schools, buying the tree seedlings, or even promoting the politians that help them take care of their homes, as opposed to corrupted ones that move capital (whether financial or natural) away from their homes.
“It’s not easy, but it takes time. It’s very tough to build something great. If it was not tough, everybody will have done it”
Great quote for life
3:22 Great quote!
Thank you so much for this quote
“It’s not easy, it takes time to build something great if it wasn’t everyone would do it” one of the truest statements ever. It take a dedicated caring person to push to make something like this a reality. I hope this man can keep thriving and can be a huge change in the world
Would be nice if Mark Cuban would invest in this young man.
@@curtisduvall380
It takes to 2 to tango.
Unless you support slavery and exploitation of people’s labor
@@curtisduvall380 wdym?
@Jesus is coming. Read the Gospel. If god is real he's laughing it up at our expense
@@curtisduvall380 one man could not build an empire, giving joint ownership is how successful companies motivate worker (employee stock options in Apple, Google, FB, Tesla, Amazon just to name the big boys)
*"Either this works... or it works"* and that's the kind of mindset that will help the world. This idea is very good and prevents natural disasters. Done through amounts of trials and error, we should be able to learn from him and his peers.
here's the cultural difference for those you who dont know.
African Black: makes things that help him and tries to help his environment/world
USA Black: tries to get famous by rapping or athletics. When it fails turns to crime and ends up in jail.
@@yoteslaya7296 Nice hasty generalization you got there.
@@BombaJead I mean, African inmigrant are many times richer than black Americans. He does have a point.
@@yoteslaya7296 I dunno man I just go to work everyday and stay thankful I'm not homeless
Too bad not everyone believes in science, they cut the trees down on a mountain. Of course the soil will go down eventually. The roots were holding the ground togteher. Its just basic science.
I hope Alhaji ends up getting everything he wishes for in life, trying so hard to stop deforestation while also making money to feed his family, such an inspiration! It would be cool if there was a way for us to support him directly!
he earns $4500 a month. he could buy you.
@@impulsiveurge5837 do you know anything about business bruh??? 10 employees + raw material + shipment + processing. You think all that comes for free?
@@impulsiveurge5837 Good for him making a good living where he is, but that is average where I am from so no, I don't think he will be buying me
@@impulsiveurge5837 it's not about buying people. It's about investing and nurturing an idea that would make the world a better place. No help is small when a lot of people come together.
@@impulsiveurge5837 also the fact that you made my wholesome post into a condescending "this person has more money than that person so they're better than you" argument is kind of weird
this guy really lived up the quote 'it's not about the resources you have it's about being resourceful'
This young man needs a boost to scale up quickly and educate the world about this product. This is the future. Great job, sir!
Even the name of his town is like Star wars
Still burning wood
@Jesus is coming. Read the Gospel. how about no
We should recognize people like this more, who do ACTUAL stuff than the 'Thunbergs' of the world who just focus on activism but no concrete action.
These are old as hell. Coconut coals are far from new. These square coals hes making are hookah coals. Look up coconara. They've been around no less than 15 years, likely more
Edit:just got to the part where she talks about it lol
This guy is inspiring. Hope his business grows big and export it.
Well he mentioned UK and Germany.
I don't think it will be easy to export them. Burnable coal stuff made from coconuts waste exists since over a decade ....
lol ok libtard
nice
I don't know about exporting the product itself, but there are certainly other places in the world that can use his invention for themselves.
This is very ingenious. Coconut shells are wood so if he can make it long lasting and able to keep high heat for cooking he has something very good going. He’s literally solving several problems and creating jobs. Great on him, wishing him all the best.
It seems all you need to do to make coconut wood as good as wood is burn it using fuel and then use clean water (another pretty valuable resource) to process it....doesn't sound ideal
@@1physics better than cutting down millions of trees every year? Yes. Definitely
Ingenious for sure, but question is would people pay for this, inplace of much cheaper and readily available firewood
@@zvezdoblyat If there isn't a drought, or they don't live in a desert, yes it's worth it.
Chomping down 1 tree to create biofuel, is better than cutting down 7 trees to burn the exact same rate as the biofuel would have provided. As you would think they would stop immediately because of contradicting their vision of using less trees. As he lost his home due to landslides.
Although I 'would' like to see some data on this, we won't know how effective it is unless there are some data scientists willing to publish a paper on it.
@@rdj2398 But his last 4 times longer
6:45 this geniune mayor with simple solutions for greener environment is far better than many mouthy mayors found in my country here.
I actually purchased some coconut briquettes for my bbq awhile ago and I can confirm they burn longer and hotter then charcoal or heat beads. They are expensive, but great for low and slow smoking…
The price is definitely made up for by how long you can use them before having to buy more
@@PatchworkRose567 what about the time saved?
If they sold coconut briquettes in Argentina it would definetly sell out- like, we use the hot embers to make asado, for the slow and smooth cooking.
@@thatonehamster4130 In Chile we also use a lot of Charcoal for our asados too, i would use them in a heartbeat
There is also a video about an Argentinian Entrepreneur making something similar using fibers from the juice making process, should be in this channel
If he can further expand the business the price can probably be lowered
I’m not easily impressed by entrepreneurs but this young man has my respect. He’s a true gift to this world, and I wish all the best to him and his family. Hope he is nothing but blessed in the future.
OK😘
Please translate urdu or hondi
Sir please translate into Hindi or Urdu
But entrapaneurs give jobs good and services to the people! That's not to say there nothing bad to reprimand but there's so much good.
@@gagishaggi6969 Yes, I'm sure he knows, but it seems he is not impressed by those things.
It's definitely true when they said Africa is the future. I hope Alhaji's invention becomes an industry standard.
"If it wasn't tough, everyone would be doing it."
all because he wanted his mother to stop struggling.
all because he's experienced loss, and is doing something about that.
Amen the same boiling water that softens a potato, hardens an egg.
Romans 10:9
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
King James Version (KJV)
John 3:16 King James Version 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Galatians 3:26 King James Version 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Titus 3:5-7 King James Version 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Revelation 21:4 King James Version 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Matthew 28:19-20 King James Version 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Seirra Leone also is a country that while poor as dirt, doesn't have crippling State cronies that prevent competition from growing or operating. IE; all of the West.
Impressive young man. He tragically lost his adoptive family when he was 17 & ended up on the streets. Now he is working hard & is an entrepreneur with bold ideas such as the coconut waste fuel briquettes. Not only is his work obviously going to provide for him & his family, but he is helping other through his work. His work also obviously helpful to the environment & he is creating a new product, demand & market which will have a positive impact on his community & beyond. Good stuff
Thanks bro. I dont have eyes or ears and keep trying to watch youtube videos, so I need this. Blessed brother. Maybe you can start a business where you tell me what you saw in the video in the comment box?
@@gantz4u lmao 🏴☠️
@@gantz4u cmon man the guy's tryna be wholesome
@@gantz4u lmao 😭
@@gantz4u you didn't have to do the man like that 💀
bless his soul, he's doing everyone a great favor. He picks people's waste and turns it into something that wont hurt the planet so much.
Coconut 🥥 became his destiny 🌴
Well he produce a large amount of smoke when burning it
Well he produce a large amount of smoke when burning it
What an absolutely EXCEPTIONAL young man. God Bless him, his goals, his country, and his business.
It's amazing to see how far Alhaji has come in the face of overwhelming adversity. Pioneers like him can change the world.
It is where chairty money should directly go. Less middlemen and more front line problem solvers.
Real talk. That was my first thought: this is a world-changing invention. Something that does not happen every day.
@@J.C... thing is we have tons of Technology like that. Great deal of expert and governments just lack competency. And it's a broad human thing to struggle like getting desperate enough to make a solution. Why so many people jump to do in a ban, because it's a whole that then after that somebody would come up with something rather than doing it in the first place.
Mad respect for him. We need more people like him. Respect to him and Sierra Leone
Diamonds from Sierra Leone
So true acacius
@@redblazer29 Noone buys diamonds anymore.
We don't need more people like him
**we should be like him**
This served as an eye opener for me. Africa is indeed moving fast. The entrepreneurial spirit of this man is exemplary.
I got so confused.. he lost his adoptive family at 17 and has a new family? wtf
@@nr1NPC He never lost his actual family. He just moved away and was taken in by the new family who died in the mudslide.
Coconut briquettes are a OLD thing, these videos really are made for city people that are completely detached from reality.
Obviously doesn't take anything away from this young man trying to build something and working hard on it in such environment, props to him!
But the way they take him forward as innovative or new thinking is a straight up lie, there's nothing innovative in what he does.
The "secret ingredients" are a binder (starch or waste paper pulp) and an accelerant (sodium nitrate or wax), information is widely available online.
@@teosoderholm96 I agree. A lot of people seeing what he is doing as innovative but it's really not. We also have briquettes and charcoal plants in our rural areas and they cause a lot of smoke and pollution. Not to mention it harms the local forest life and areas if they are left unchecked.
But this does present a good success story for this guy. If there's anything to be amazed here; it's the work hard mentality of this man. And he is helping his community as well.
BTW he is a muslim. He belongs to the same community that your country is trying to get rid of.
“If it was not tough, then everyone would’ve done it” He’s an innovator!
A lot of people around the world already have. I have been using Indonesian made coconut briquettes in my barbecue for well over a decade.
@@chrisbrent7487 right? he is trying to re-invent the wheel and doing a poor job of it. The others have better methods...
@@agnidas5816 I think he’s doing what he can with the resources he has.
@@agnidas5816 what have you done? Nothing
@@agnidas5816 you're most likely unsuccessful in life. Also 🖕krishna
Real man realising real problems and making real changes, unlike many celebrities who preach about climate change yet do nothing practical to help the situation.
modern problems require modern solutions™
I’m sure they could donate some equipment for him. As long as a camera is pointed at them.
They could use their influece to really inspire other to make. If they donate lots like DeCaprio, Im sure this world wouldve changed much quicker.
The ultimate issue is that society-scale problems can't be effectively solved by individual action.
And the people against taking real society-scale steps view those same celebrities as the enemy anyway.
ikr. Lost his adoptive family in a mudslide. Was on his own in the streets. Instead of being bitter and making excuses (Like I would and hate the world). He chose to help save it.
Shows how much I need to mature and improve as a person. Really motivating.
"If it was not tough, everyone would have done it " loved this line.its so inspiring.
Isn't that a famous quotes
I'd rather see stories like this than half the crap that comes across TH-cam now days... Great story and such a fine example of a young man doing what he can to make the world better.
Just few days ago I was telling a colleague at work about starting a business like this. Not knowing by then that someone is already doing it in my country. Wow. Continue with the good work bro.
Robert Lee yes, if he's actually already got distribution in countries like germany, there probably is real potential for growth because the stuff can sell for a lot more money in those markets than if it competes with charcoal in sierra leone. well, competing with charcoal in sierra leone is the point, but that could also eventually be achieved more effectively if the business makes enough money to optimize and increase production with better machines.
Yes I suggest you try and contact him to attempt to expand, or start yourself and try to group together the idea of the product. Careful with assholes In the comments spamming fake numbers
1:09 PLASTIC (possibly food grade) CONTAINERS, for charcoal-like "Coconut Waste"???!!!
i would say do it yourself, as there is plenty of waste and opportunity, but by the look of things most of his money is coming from out of country, i would recommend looking up activated charcoal and seeing if you might find a better market selling the resource to the outside world, or focus on developing a stove specifically to take advantage of the benefits of dense coconut charcoal. it really cannot replace would charcoal for cooking if you have to use the same amount of vastly more expensive coconut charcoal.
@@01mustang05 that seems unnecessary
There‘s also coco charcoal produced in my home country (Thailand) but it is still also not commonly used either. Thanks to the channel for raising this to the public limelight globally.
Probably all asian countries use coco charcoal
Everything in Thailand is based around coconuts lol. Every coconut product I get is from Thailand now. Y’all are at the head of the game
I'm from Samoa and we do coconut charcoal aswell. We dont grind down and form into bricks though. We simply carbonize the shell and use that to cook with. Adds a lovely flavor to all foods.
@Tatchaya Su yep third world country
@@JLvanHassel so true man
Been using coconut based coals for sheesha since years, this is a great initiative.
Best of luck to you and your team.
What is sheesha?
@@muxsee Hookah tobacco, Coconut coals are the most common coals on the market for that industry
Stop your frea**ng sheesha
@@danny-fu2zd no
Desi and Middle East people be coming quick after seeing this comment.
This Young Brother is Brilliant....I pray him and his community prospers and eventually recovers💜
This should be advertised globally, Especially to communities which use coal essentially.
mongolia needs this
China
Sudan
Honestly, it seems to rely on the area consuming alot of coconut. The idea of using waste to make other products is great but you need the waste to make the product
@@arthand7672 I'd say you have a misconception there that can be easily cleared up.
You think that it's necessary for the area to consume a lot of coconuts, but no the coconuts are used because they're the most available biomass in the area.
However there are different types of biomass in different places specially when it comes to waste so this is just the most available resource for which a formula already exists to make it into a very effective form of fuel for the area that still uses charcoal for cooking or other such things.
Polynesians and other indigenous people around the world (who happened to live near sea) have always reverred and worshipped the coconut tree as the tree that gives you life. And I see it why. On an island where water is all saline coconut trees can give you so much of water (and electrolytes too)
The leaves are extremely good for making a roof. I'm sure that the husk was definitely used as fuel for fire.
Husk can also be used to make ropes I think. Then also for paper. Hard shell covering can be used as a bowl for eating and maybe the list can go on and on.
All in all a coconut tree can help with our nourishment in variety of ways.
100% of what you said is true for us, we are south Indian living near sea shore. We rever and worship coconut tree as everypart of it is useful to us. We try not to cut them as much as possible
the liquid in a coconut is sterile! this means that it can be used in medical applications when sterilized water is not available.
We actually do. Personally, I think the process this guy is using is ridiculous.
Worship Jesus Christ
@@SarahR2D2 no. Coconut tree is better
"If it was not tough, everybody will have done it"
Facts! Wishing Alhaji and team all the best in his entreprenuerial endevours. Thanks BI for producing this interesting video.
It's amazing people like him that are changing the world. Thank you for covering this!
LOLOLOLOL not changing the world
The whole process seems highly scalable. With the right investments in equipment, I bet he could reduce production costs significantly.
Zaacoal has done exactly that
Would be cool if they could grow and use hemp as alternative packaging for plastic.
Just looks like Coconut hookah coals, those have been mass produced for decades
It's amazing what this guy is doing, but it's deceptively framed: While a lot of people do cut down trees to make firewood, the vast majority of deforestation is due to business activities: 10 million slow-growing rosewood trees were shipped out of the country in 2019, and were sold for less than $2.50 each. The economic plunder of Sierra Leone's natural resources by soulless corporations is the main contributor to mudslides, not people chopping firewood.
I am in awe of this man and what he's doing, but you need to be honest. This story is not honest.
that's kinda what I was thinking. Very interesting way to frame it, shifting blame on people cooking lol
Burning biomass is seriously polluting to the air that he, any family, and the community is breathing. The shells could be composted and used as a mulch to protect degraded soil.
exactly what was in my mind .
Glad you pointed this out. Thanks!
a little bit at a time
I LOVE seeing people succeed when the cards are stacked against them.
You're gonna love my come up then...
Came here to make a Snowpiercer joke but I'm just in awe of the ingenuity and determination of the human spirit. Go head Alhaji, change the world. ✊
Coconut shells are wood. I hope more people realize that and uses his product. Such a wise young man and I wish many blessings to him and his family and businesses. Especially since the product burns longer than wood too makes sense to use his product instead of wood. It will save tons of trees and wildlife and help prevent disasters to villages that have mudslides etc. It will help save lives and provide jobs. Best wishes to this young man.
But, briquettes is 4 times more expensive than wood. And i thing instead buying wood, they prefer to cut down trees by themselves.
@@jjsprtn627 maybe more expensive but you need to buy less bc they last up to 4 times longer!!!
@@sukatidi yes of course if you compare it with softwood. But if you compare it with hardwood, like rosewood, it's the same.
I mean, i compare it by its carbon mass, not by its size.
@@sukatidi Ever heard of the "poor tax" or whatever its called? These poor people lack the capital for initial investment..like when poor people spent (in theory) more money on boots/shoes than the rich because the boots they could afford were of much lower quality. The financial barrier among people who live paycheck to paycheck is just too big even if its better for them in the long run. You can see similar thinking all around the world. For example people buying things for monthly payments even though its considerably more expensive than buying it outright. Its why people who spend too much but also people who save too much will never really own shit - need to find the balance where you save on yourself but also spend the money where its needed in the long run.
@@sukatidi problem is does it produce 4 times as much heat? Long lasting is good for a smoke but not when you are cooking. Cooking you need high heat.
Best part about this is that his idea can easily be scaled up to a large factory version. It can even become one of his countries easy exports to help with both deforestation, carbon emissions used by wood fires and waste issue from coconut shells.
This is a company you would want to invest in
You still need the coconut husks, so it can't scale on a massive scale.
@@Mobin92 i would assume there is a lot of coconut shell waste from producing other coconut products so they could probably make it work somehow, but i'm not a professional so i could totally be wrong..
@@Mobin92 call locals and collect waste coconut shells with trucks for money
They lost 70% of their forest in the last 5 decades and you think you can replace that with some cocoput shells...
He sells it for shishas. It's effectively a luxus product. Also, people use fires to cook. That's a very inefficient way. They do it because they are poor and wood is cheap, especially if harvested illegaly, which is the problem in this region.
Some people...
@@iwankazlow2268 They have made the plan to reforest. Plant over one million trees as a start to re greening their part of town. It will take time and effort.
As a small business, of course he has to start small, but he's been working on expanding. He's won awards and has customers from other places. He's trying to address the issue of people cutting down the trees. I understand that they are poor, but removing their natural habitat is having a greater economic affect on them. Where do you suppose he start? It is a town initiative to a problem they will hopefully figure out as a town.
My family tested coconut briquettes last year and they worked very well and after the barbecue was over even the little coal pieces were hot enough to make perfectly brown marshmallows
Can I get your social media handle where I can contact you?
Pls reply .
Everything we waste can be reused the creator made it that way.
@@piffromney1916 Don't let the maxtrix creators know you're thinking outside the simulation
This man deserves all the success in the world and then some. To lose so much, and turn that loss into a drive to preserve our planet takes immense character. I don't know how realistic this is, but it would be amazing if someday, I start seeing coconut-based fuel for sale in the states, courtesy of him.
WOW! This is amazing! I hope he doesn't lose his formula or patent or whatever to corporations looking to undermine his product and take advantage of him.
For the greater good of mankind, wouldn’t it be a good thing that he shared the formula so that more people can use it?
You can't really patent this, its all natural.
Well, it's not a rocket science actually. You can find natural sticky gum in Forest, which when dissolved in water can act as a binder that can easily bind carbon particles. It's cheap and convenient. Appreciate the effort of this Young man though.
It's not new though.
@@Phonsuk you can patent the process re his 'secret ingredient' + recipe.
We need more guys like this solving problems THEY understand and see in their own areas. God bless you, Sir!
Plant trees....problem solved.
@Black and Gold you’re apart of the problem go do something instead of sitting on your ass
After all we are still burning things. If the oil/coal lobby would budge we could start getting more renewable energy, stop deforestation and help more people.
Yet US , Russia and the Saudis aren't going to stop anytime soon fueling the war machine for oil/gas/ weapons. It is too profitable.
@@jamesbelcher896 wow what an ingenious idea. Want a nobel prize nomination? I'm sure they have a category for oversimplified solutions by idiots with zero understanding of nuaces
@@jamesbelcher896 Trees take years to grow and a day to cut down - as long as there are assholes not caring about the environment and not held accountable then planting trees will not be enough
Need more people like this. Solving real problems with what you've got. Great job!
@Awaken Why don't you?
@Awaken lmao what's your problem? Somebody shits in your coffee this morning?
@@horsepaste what about you?
Maybe,they won't because their so lazy in life and wanna watch youtube videos everyday,smh not the first but what a shame...Now this is what we CALL a low value man :)
@@Jojo-qp7oh what about you?
This is honestly a no brainer, the shells are already going to be thrown out and they help prevent soil erosion. This truly can help save lives and prevent future landslide deaths
Now this is truly inspiring. This is what the world needs to see and maybe this young man’s story will influence other young people to change the world for the positive.
I'm glad he found a way to try to cut down on deforestation and I'm glad to see such a video in the first place. My Mom and I love watching nature documentaries and other things related to nature. When I first moved to Meadowview though, there was 2 big chestnut trees growing right in front of my trailer and since my mom lives right in front of me, we both hated the prickly things the shells were in. I was thankful when one tree broke in half, landed on my mom's shed - no one was hurt and the shed was okay -, and got chopped to pieces. However, I've been wanting to grow other trees in place of the old trees that I think I can tolerate better such maple trees. I doubt it can stop soil erosion but I know the birds and cats would appreciate it eventually but judging from how the stumps - the other was chopped down too, my family was concerned about the big dead branches hanging over my car - sometimes grow branches, I don't know if I can grow a maple tree in place of them.
If you cannot grow the trees of your choice I'd highly suggest putting some shrubs or strong rooted bushes (just make sure its not in a place where the roots will grow through wiring/pipes!). This will give a place for smaller birds to live and help support the ground in a similar capacity. Good luck planting!
@@rabbitguts2518 😊 thank you!
Look into vetiver for soil erosion prevention
Coconut is expensive in my country they also use it especially for cooking oil so it's very important to use the used shells instead of throwing them out everywhere. Country like Africa is blessed with tons of trees and wildlife. They should use it well.
"If it was not tough, everybody will have done it" damn i rlly needed to hear that thnk you brother big inspiration 💪
This man needs some support from us because his idea is great. Whoever can contribute in any way (sharing his work on social media, helping him financially etc.) would help making this planet a better place.
Kudos to the guy, a true environmentalist and entrepreneur and his idea came from a tragedy and pain, he deserves to be successful.
And even the mayor won on promise of replantation of trees, I can never imagine a politician presenting this agenda in her/ his manifesto in my country.
Where do you live?
Man in a depressing 2020, seeing amazing people like Alhaji really give a bit of hope. I do hope his business continues to make profit to the point he has like a massive working force.
2022*
@@goldenpotato925 nah this guy time travelled 💀
Man still stuck 2020
Bruh lmao
@@mohamedsiyaad7542 I mean.. Good for him, biggest problem in his world is a pandemic, not a WW3.
I love seeing innovation in other countries, for their countries. The answer to making life better isn't always running to a better country, it's making your country better! God bless that guy 👊
I grew up in London and I spend most days out of motivation and struggling with ADHD but I have brilliant business ideas constantly running in my head. This kid grew up on the streets, lost his loved ones, and now giving speeches in Harvard and has a profitable business. Damn, I feel undeserving of my priviledge, when I think of how there might be million of more smarter kids and people stuck living on streets, who could implement all the business ideas I have a lot better than I can, or make a much more bigger impact from all the priviledges I have.
I wish the world would appreciate him a bit more. All entrepreneurs working for a good cause and trying to save the environment should be highlighted all over the world and their products be available everywhere
What a legend! He started with the desire to support his family and stop deforestation. I mean that is the definition of a Nobel endeavour!
I wish you all the luck in the world my friend.
Been using cocoshell briquettes in my smoker for the last year. I find them brilliant less ash waste and longer burning than lump wood charcoal. It’s the way forward. Also better for the environment.
Sir, did they emit any pleasant smell when you burn them?
@@nururim nothing out of the ordinary if you use a chimney and natural firefighters there is no smell and not a lot of smoke I wouldn’t use anything else. They take about 20-30 mins to get up to temp but once they do the heat from them is brilliant and 1 chimney which is about 30 ish cubes will last for about 6 hours.
@@videos40058 he doesnt need to use woods to burn the coconut husk and all other waste coming from coconut because it will burn all by itself but well by burning it also emits co2 but atleast he intends to save other types of trees that are being used as firewoods.
Not really better for the environment in any way tho
this just in millions of miles of forest destroyed to grow coconuts to make briquettes to save the forest . . . oh wait
A true entrepreneur.
He had nothing apart from some bits of coconut husk and he turned it into a successful business.
“World wide waste” , We should make this a common practice in the world to make coconut coals instead of wood. Shout out to Alhaji, needs more contributions 👏
i dont think its going to be very practical
@@spheghetilover Neither is Vegan food and we’re doing it the most??
@@DemarcusQ vegan is more practical than meat. Way cheaper to produce. Way less detrimental to the environment.
The elite wont allow it
@@therach7841 That's not necessarily true.
“If it’s not tough, everyone would have done it”.
This guy is very smart and destined for great things, I believe. Best of luck Alhaji!
This guy right here is a very unusual combination of smarts, determination and compassion. The real deal ladies and gentleman. It's a miracle he made it under such dire circumstances and a shame we're wasting talent like this every day.
Not sure how scalable the idea is, but good on him for finding a niche and filling it.
I am soooooo proud if this guy! He's a true entreperneur & Im sure his adoptive and biological parents would've been extremely proud of him. His determination is also motivational. Kudos to you man.
proud of a guy doin french did 800 years ago?
@@poussinmoumouteDo they still do it? No? Then yes, this guy is worthy of being proud of.
I'm so glad that this guy is out there making money. I'm glad he's prospering, ya know? It's good to see people being rewarded for doing good.
"It's not easy, but it takes time to build something great" this man has vision and mission....good luck 👍
Imagine this on a global scale: an incredible amount of potential fuel, all from something that not only provides energy but also serves as food. And you don’t have to cut down the trees but simply take care of them so they can produce more coconuts, offering food, water, and fuel all in one. This man behind this idea truly deserves all the success, and I hope to see this project grow even bigger in the coming years.
What a great idea. I really hope he succeeds and the idea takes off in all countries that have sufficient coconuts. What an inspiration this young man is.
Not a new idea though. I can buy this in my local supermarket in holland. Still a great cause though, especially in countries where this isn't as big and easy to get.
Now I'm thinking my plan to go hide out on Gilligan's Island for the rest of this life isn't too far fetched.
When people sue him for lung cancer, his factory will go bankrupt from greedy lawyers
@@chadsimmons6347
He's outside of the U.S.
Maybe he'll get lucky. Lol
We need movies about people like him, a real hero to encourage kids to grow up to do good in the world.
There's a movie called "the boy who harnessed the wind" about a little boy thinking outside the box like him.
Check out Swades, while the main character comes from a wealthy background, it shows exactly what needs to be done to make the world a better place for the poorest of the poor.
Please watch ‘ The boy who harnessed the wind’ the main character does something similar to him.
he is not a real hero though. this report is totally bizarre in that it left out any knowledge of how this relates to the world and the context.
First of all most trees are cut down for cattle raising. That is what is causing African continent to become total desert.
Secondly he didn't invent this. It is an old idea which is done better elsewhere. Also there is another product you can make which doesn't have to be brickettes... you can make charcoal - and that would actually be economically viable to sell locally instead of ship overseas hoping some one will buy it (the transporting of the material negates any benefit to environment)
And to reduce the amount of wood homes need to cook food they should all be using rocket stoves. I saw the bullshit fires they had in the clip - such terrible waste of wood..
I've seen plenty of people doing this in my country, it's a well known trade here. We always have two kinds of options for charcoal, coco shell and wood. Coco shell has way better quality, lasts longer and makes less smoke. Problem is it's never going to be NEARLY enough, it's almost no different than wood. Production takes longer so it tends to be more expensive than wooden fuel too, and considering wooden fuel is basically free (at the expense of the environment), poorer families will still go for wood.
Though if it does burn for longer it might be worth it depending on the price. Doesn't solve the latter problem though.
True In India we have big business (since many decades ) of charcoal balls made using farm waste mostly Rice husk. Now we are moving away from it toward bio ethanol and methane production
I too know that so many do these type of works.....
@@sociallyresponsiblexenomor7608 yeah, it's really a matter of whether you can afford five-dollar shoes that last at most a year or seventy-five-dollar shoes that can last you a lifetime
I really hope he succeeds. His ambitions line up perfectly with societal needs. Great opportunity for him and his people.
This is phenomenal! As an African concerned with climate change and it’s effects on the continent, this was very enlightening. In my country we are chopping down trees for charcoal and we need a sustainable alternative, this is so motivating!
What a wonderful idea to take something that would generally be discarded, and to find a way for it to be used. The world needs entrepreneurs from all walks of life.
Makes me think to myself, " So what's YOUR excuse??!!" Definitely praying and rooting for this innovative and blessed young man! Truly inspiring 🙌
You don't live in Sierra Leone, here is your excuse, good luck!
I dont have the secret formula!!!
You waste time praying
sounds like a great company. hope his community does well.
Coconut briquettes are something that has also been used here in indonesia for a long time,it cost about 10.000 IDR per kg,which is about 70 to 80 US cents.
😄😄 You Nailed it😄😄
Also in Philippines they make charcoal from it
@@vikingrogaland2844 I think the whole SEA have used it at one point as fuel right?
This is amazing. There are billionaires who get praise for their inventions that don’t even go to a better cause but this young man is literally is growing a business that contributes to saving the planet. I wish him and his crew nothing but success ❤️
look up coco cubes lol not a new thing he just happens to be adorable when doing it
@@EtchGames arent coco cubes and his product for different things? i mean sure both are made of coconut and are cubes but one is for fire and the other is for plants
@@Guy_that_exists literally exactly the same process for both and you an use either way
@@EtchGames well the guy said he had "a secret ingredient" so they might be different
Hello Mud Shark
The coconut fibers could also be used for eco paper products, eco to go containers, woven or micro woven fabrics for auto Industry, truck Industry, airlines Industry, clothing for men, women, children, pets with legs.
The fibers of coconut can be used to reinforce clay terracotta stones for roofing tiles and floor tiles.
The fibers of coconut can be used to make steam pressure compressed objects such as sandals and floatation devices for fishing, or made into water proof fishing nets.
So can marijuana plants, they're incredibly versatile. You can make better clothes, paper, food out of them, and they're able to grow anywhere. We, as a society, must make sure coconuts aren't demonized just because they're versatile and abandoned.
coconut is just amazing you can use everything of that tree :V the best nut ever
These eco containers would be also superior to the plastic clamshells he’s currently using.
@@alittleofsomething you are right, just it's called hemp not "mj". It is grown just for the fibers and thc in those is minimal. Otherwise good point. Poeple were using hemp for fibers for a veeeeeeeery long time :)
@@ogi22 I know like 3 names for hemp, which I mentioned here. My dude, we have a hemp farm and museum here in Latvia, and not for the high stuff.
Even though I feel like we don't deserve it...
We need more people like Alhaji Siraj Bah!
Thank you for your work!
I genuinely love seeing this, its not just the drive to produce something to benefit the world around him.
He's also doing what he wanted to do, here's hoping it inspires others to do similar or join him in his effort.
Thank you for putting a spotlight on this company. Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 has seen so much suffering. We should expand this to the many areas that need it.
Coconut briquettes or coconut charcoal is standard in Asia. Nice seeing Africa developing a sustainable solution. Also coconut coir fibre is used to secure land against soil erosion on both land and rivers.
I used to grow alot of marijuana in coco coir. It was very good medium and cheap.
Climate activists will still reject it. They consider charcoal as bad as regular coal.
Should tell you how impossible their standards are.
@@randybobandy9828 Just use hemp for the plant fibers, at least you don't get accused by suspicious government or targeted by crime syndicates thinking you are competition.
@@dra6o0n what are you even talking about? Lmao. What plant fibers? I dont think you know what you're talking about.
@@randybobandy9828 hemp can be used for clothing. There's a video from "How to make everything" about hemp clothing.
Shrewd entrepreneur identified real-time problems. Solved multiple problems with his product Idea. Waste management, helping to reduce deforestation, and less smoke creation while using fuel for burning impacts health issues resolution too.
His efforts are very much appreciated. People like him shall get success and funding so that they can work on more ideas.
I am happy at least some people saw the irony of the plastic packaging. It discredits the whole premise of trying to protect nature. This said, it can be fixed quite easily. Props to this guy for his brilliant idea.
This young man found the determination and got his hustle going. Props to him, Wish him nothing but success!
This guy is a blessing to the human race. Support him and others like him.
this guy is burning woood to carbonate them, its a big problem. as he is generating twice as much co2 in atmosfere then just burning wood . He is a problem in your society
not really a blessing, just another innovative innovator
@@ordinaryfellow9093 could end up being a blessing for humanity maybe
Brickettes burn longer because of the fine carbonized powder.
Doesn't matter where the carbonized material is coming from, husks or wood, as long as it's cellulose.
Huge respect to Alhaji for creating this biomass to replace firewoods as cooking fuel. This is a great and an outstanding solution to preserve The Earth. Thank you and good luck.
Hahahaha. Thеу shоuld just stор creating human biomass.
“If it was not tough, everyone would have done it” …Well said my friend
Economics, needs, and ethics all working together for this. Utilizing what once was waste to make something new and useful, doing it for the need to prevent landslides, and because these people believe its the right thing to do
Honestly makes my day
its already quite common in a lot of space but its not that sustainable it take a lot of time to grow and then to make can never top the production of charcoal
Love his intuition, ability to innovate, and positive glass half-full attitude. An inspiration I'll share with my students
The smoke coming out of the pipe is called syngas and it's VERY useful but poisonous. You can reroute the top pipe so that the gas is burnt underneath so you won't have to use as much fuel to carbonize. Or if you're very careful you can use it for cooking gas. Look into a device called a gasometer. It's a storage tank.
YES! Oh God, It's so stupid not to recover the syngas to produce electric energy and reuse the thermal energy...
@@vonfrenky I wouldn't say stupid because what he's done takes smarts. We are the stupid ones not putting the char into soil for permanent fertilizer. It might even be enough to offset some of the CO2 in the atmosphere.
I feel like developing nations already have a lot of ideas to reduce waste, thanks to Business Insider for showcasing them. All the developed countries need to adapt to them at a massive scale.
@Dan Trebune LOL, The west buys everything from Asia and blames Asia for pollution made.
@Dan Trebune sad but true !
@Dan Trebune yes, because already developed nations just exported their pollution to developping nations.
Also, the polluting emissions of developped nations, especially per capita are higher than multiple developping nations combined.
I feel happy for him. Made a business that is successful and helps people, made his mother proud, I hope he truly goes higher and higher.
Bless this young man, and those like him that are trying to improve his and others lives.
This man is amazing, It’s awesome how he helps his family make money, saves the earth and helps other people at the same time.
And not to mention he’s also saving lives.
This man is incredible. It can literally only take one person to change the world and a village to inspire change.
How
One of THE most enjoyable subjects to watch …the “alternative” ways to “re” use waste. As I am an incredibly privileged person, Icelandic, a country that is 97% sustainable in all energy I’m constantly searching and fascinated by the various projects in this category. Not to mention that because of people like this man … this problem …this may be tiny but it’s real and shows the possibility and well a : my faith in humanity being able to climb this mountain rises faster than I thought possible!
Loosing all of his families and living in the streets to having a business and feed a number if families with it. This man is a true fighter 💪
Brilliant young man. Hope he sees success asap
except @1:09 he wants to save the world BUT IS A LITTER BUG
ikr. Lost his adoptive family in a mudslide. Was on his own in the streets. Instead of being bitter and making excuses (Like I would and hate the world). He chose to help save it.
Shows how much I need to mature and improve as a person. Really motivating.
1:09 PLASTIC (possibly food grade) CONTAINERS, for charcoal-like "Coconut Waste"???!!!
@@dopeytripod in places where municipal garbage disposal doesn't exist people just throw their trash on the ground, its a cultural thing in developing nations and not really frowned upon or against the law.
@@01mustang05 I think you are being a bit over critical, the culture around products in this part of the world incentivizes this packaging as a marketing technique to show that it is superior. Because it is more expensive he uses a more western packaging style, zero waste isnt exactly on sierra Leone's radar because that country is in a completely different place culturally and it is likely that these packages are reused many times until they are unusable.