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Trees, Water & People
Project Goal
$50,000.00

Description of the problem:


The World Health Organization reports that 1,600,00 women and children around the world die each year from respiratory diseases caused by the toxic smoke produced from biomass burning stoves used for indoor cooking and heating.  In Central America, 90% of rural families and 50% in urban areas still use traditional stoves for cooking all their meals.  These stoves waste 90% of the potential wood energy and the burning contributes to global warming.

In rural areas, people spend several hours two to three times a week cutting and hauling firewood.  Cutting and overuse of firewood is contributing to rampant and excessive deforestation in Central America. More than 2/3's of the forests have been lost in the last thirty years and the other 1/3 will disappear by 2050 if nothing is done to save the forests.

Description of the project/solution:


After Hurricane Mitch ravaged Central America in 1998, TWP partnered with the Honduran Association for Development (AHDESA), Aprovecho Research Center, and Rotary International to adapt fuel-efficient combustion principles to local, traditional cooking habits. The result was the Justa stove, with a metal griddle for cooking, brick/adobe outer walls, elbow-shaped ceramic combustion chamber surrounded by wood ash/pumice for insulation, and a metal chimney to remove toxic smoke from the home. Since then, TWP has developed other models of fuel-efficient stoves including the EcoStove, EcoOven, EcoTortillero and EcoLenca.
 
Fuel-Efficient Stove Benefits
-Reduces firewood consumption by 70%
-Removes 90% of the toxic smoke from kitchens
-Saves 70% on cooking time
-Decreases CO2 emissions by a minimum of 1 metric ton/year per stove
-Improves human health, financial sustainability, and the environment
 
TWP has built 23,000 fuel-efficient stoves throughout Central America and Haiti. To meet the growing demand for this sustainable technology and the European Union’s agreement to purchase 16,000 stoves over the next two years, we are expanding production capacity. Our new streamlined stove factory in Honduras will enable us to significantly increase production, reduce costs, and create desperately needed jobs for local workers. With your support, TWP will be able to provide the many benefits of our life-changing, forest-saving stoves to more families in Central America and beyond.

Amount that Channel G seeks to raise in order to help the organization achieve its goals:


$50,000 to assist with new fuel-efficient stove factory in Honduras
(Total project budget = $275,000)
 

Other support needed by the project:


TWP hosts annual EcoTours and Work Tours that give participants the opportunity to help build a fuel-efficient stove for a family. Please visit our website at www.treeswaterpeople.org for more information.