issue 49 - AsiaLIFE Magazine

note from the editorcontributorsKwena ChokoeBrett DavisThere are few more terrifying sensations on a stiflingly hotsummer day in Saigon than the instant when everything goessuddenly dark and the whir and hum of modern life windsdown to a stop. The power is out.No internet, no television, you get a little worried about thegroceries you just put in the refrigerator, and most dauntingof all, no air conditioning. These power outages are part andparcel of life here, and something you learn to work around byseeking out a café or some other place in the city with powerwhere you can wait it out.With a modernising economy and increasingly affluentpopulation, the demand for power is surging in Vietnam.Coal-fired power stations, hydro-electricity, and soon nuclearpower plants, are trying to meet this demand. But are theresustainable and environmentally-friendly ways to meet thischallenge?Vietnam’s geography and climate have some in the renewableenergy sector excited about the potential for solar andwind-generated power here. There are naturally some drawbacksto these technologies, most notably their inability atpresent to generate the huge amount of electricity required topower the country. This is not to say they do not have excitingpotential applications that can be explored now, particularlyfor smaller and more remote communities.Another sustainable industry that has taken root here is theproduction of bio fuels. These act not only as a renewableenergy source, but are also helping provide real income tosome of Vietnam’s poorest rural communities.Our cover story this month takes a look at the state of therenewable energy sector in Vietnam and asks some of theleading players what potential there is for a cleaner, greenerfuture for the country’s energy needs.It is also time to say goodbye to one of the AsiaLIFE familywith the departure of Deputy Editor Madeleine Adamson.Chris Mueller will now take over the co-pilot’s seat and wewelcome regular contributor Michael Tatarski onto the teamas Contributing Editor.Madeleine is off to the UK, via her native Canada, for a newchallenge managing unruly backpackers in seaside Brighton.Maddy was always a ray of sunshine in the office and a damngood writer. We wish her the best.Kwena Chokoe is 25 and hails fromJohannesburg, South Africa. Overthe past six years she has studiedanalogue photography, advertisingand linguistics. She grew up inAfrica, and also lived a for a numberof years in Europe. In keeping withher nomadic spirit, she is currentlygiving Asia a try. "I'm an Englishteacher at the moment,” Chokoesays, “But a photographer all thetime.” Side by side, pg 18.Vu Thi Quynh GiaoVu Thi Quynh Giao is a scholarshipstudent at RMIT Vietnam, pursuinga Bachelor's degree in Communications.A committed volunteer, Giaohas learned the ABCs of the socialsector and served local not-for-profitorganisations in Ho Chi Minh Citysince mid-2010, when she startedworking with the LIN Center forCommunity Development. She writesfor online magazines and maintains ablog on the arts, political philosophy,youth and social entrepreneurship inher free time. Leading ladies, pg 36.Next time you're across theborder, check out the latestissue of AsiaLIFE Cambodiaor download it from www.asialifeguide.com.Find AsiaLIFE articles on6 asialife HCMC