open fire cooking in the news

Cooking on open fires fueled by wood or charcoal made the news this week, as The Lancet Respiratory Medicine Commission published research that shows the health risks for about 2.8 billion people in the world who cook on open fires.

A third of the world's population uses solid fuel derived from plant material (biomass) or coal for cooking, heating, or lighting. These fuels are smoky, often used in an open fire or simple stove with incomplete combustion, and result in a large amount of household air pollution when smoke is poorly vented. Air pollution is the biggest environmental cause of death worldwide, with household air pollution accounting for about 3.5-4 million deaths every year. Women and children living in severe poverty have the greatest exposures to household air pollution.

CBC News reports, "Clean cooking technologies, such as advanced cook stoves and solar powered systems, exist. But they need to be affordable, efficient and long lasting to replace traditional methods."

The portable clay stoves that we will be promoting in Tanzania are made entirely from local resources. They are relatively simple to produce, affordable, and convenient to use. It's a sustainable technology that drastically cuts firewood consumption and significantly reduces the amount of smoke produced.

The researchers hope their research "will provide the impetus to drive change and tackle what is a preventable, but devastating, burden on the health of the world’s population." Glad to be part of the change in Tanzania.