Ecological balance of households from Mbuku municipality in Kinshasa city, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Abstract

Human activities are damaging the environment, thus creating environmental disasters. The main concern is about the lack of data predicting these destructions. Households of Mbuku municipality (Kinshasa, D R Congo) usually use various energy sources such as logs (wood) and charcoal, oil (petrol), batteries and generators. All these energy sources are expensive and increase family financial vulnerability. The balance between ecology, energy and cost is not confortable and negatively impacts on family finances. However, our field investigation data revealed that using electricity from The national power supply Company (i.e. SNEL) is cheaper than all above energy sources. Indeed, SNEL generates its electricity from hydraulic source. The hydropower is ecologically clean, financially cheaper and sustainable. The results of our field investigations showed that households are daily spending a lot of money for the energy from oil and wood; whereas batteries and generators are weekly used. Finally, the ecological energy balance in Mbuku Municipality is negative.