Cooking in Africa is back breaking work, a waste of time and energy bad for the environment and considered to be the largest environmental threat to health in the world today.
WE HAVE A SOLUTION AND YOU CAN HELP
The largest environmental threat to health in the world today.
In a finding that confirms the devastating health impact of energy poverty, the landmark Global Burden of Disease study published today (Dec 13, 2012) tallied 3.5 million annual deaths from respiratory illness due to burning of wood, brush, dung, and other biomass for fuel. Cooking on traditional cookstoves is a far greater risk factor than poor water and sanitation, lead or radon pollution, or smog (ozone) and outdoor soot, according to the study in today’s Lancet, the largest ever systematic effort to describe the global distribution and causes of mortality. The data indicate that respiratory illness from breathing the emissions from inefficient cookstoves causes more than double the annual deaths attributed either to malaria (1.2 million) or to HIV/AIDS (1.5 million). Added Kirk R. Smith, a professor of global environmental health at the University of California, Berkeley, and a co-author of The Lancet article, “One of the most alarming findings is that smoke from cooking fires was found to be the largest environmental threat to health in the world today.� http://www.greatenergychallengeblog.com/2012/12/13/cookstove-smoke-is-largest-environmental-threat-global-health-study-finds/
Deforestation and erosion are often the result of harvesting wood for fuel.
We have a Response Able solution and it’s RADIICAL - Response
Able Design Integrates Innovation, Conservation And Leadership.
Many African women cook on what is called a Three Stone Fire. The method is extremely inefficient as most of the heat is wasted. Developing countries consume little energy compared to developed nations; however, over 50% of the energy that they do use goes into collecting wood , fetching water and cooking food.. The average rural family spends 20% or more of its income purchasing wood or charcoal for cooking. The money spent on wood or charcoal means less money available to be spent on food, education, and medical care. Valuable time is wasted collecting wood and can often be hazardous.
Three Stone Fires produce a great amount of smoke and is the cause of many lung and eye ailments, birth defects, third degree burns, scalds and devastating fires.
For us in the developed world cooking on an open fire / BBQ is a novelty enjoyed mainly by men outdoors a few times a year, even if the smoke gets in their eyes! But for most of the population in sub Saharan Africa, it is a daily necessity. For this population and mainly women a kitchen is primarily a place to build a fire.
Our Three Pot Stove designed by Jonathan Waterworth Owen, improves health, reduces fuel and decreases the emission of black carbon. While carbon dioxide may be the No.1 contributor to rising global temperatures, black carbon has emerged as an important No.2. Black carbon is responsible for 18 % of the planet’s warming, compared with 40 % for carbon dioxide.
The benefits of our Three Pot Stove are numerous. Help support us in this Response Able programme and make a difference to the health and prosperity of Bolera Village in southern Malawi.
Being able to cook with 3 pots at the same time reduces the risk of accidents, saves about 60% of wood normally used and saves valuable time that can be spent doing more important things. We challenge you to find any woman who wants to spend more time in a kitchen that chokes them to death!
Tree planting is integral to our Three Pot Fire project in Bolera Village.
On average, one 3 Pot Stove annually saves:
27 Trees And results in a 60% reduction of
1 month of valuable time.
You can help by donating ÂŁ25 per 3 Pot Stove, or why not volunteer and help build them ! .
Community Based Development in the Spirit of Ubuntu. For more information see UBUNTU on: www.responseabilityalliance.com