Via Zoom from her home in Ecuador, StoveTeam's Exec. Director Shelby Kardas provided an update on her organization's activities in Central America, focusing on Guatemala. (From http://www.stoveteam.org): Each year, smoke inhalation from indoor cooking fires kills more people than malaria and AIDS combined. And CO2 emissions from cooking fires are a major contributor to climate change. Each $250 cookstove saves up to 12 tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere, equivalent to the average American’s yearly carbon footprint. StoveTeam leverages this extensive network of Rotary Clubs to create awareness, raise funds, and implement clean cookstove projects in collaboration with local communities. The partnership between StoveTeam International and Rotary Clubs is based on shared goals of improving health, protecting the environment, and promoting sustainable development. Open fire cooking can produce smoke equal to 400 cigarettes per hour, causing indoor air to average a hazardous particulate matter concentration of 538 μg/m3. Exposure causes respiratory infections, eye damage, heart and lung disease, and cancer. Women and children are affected the most. StoveTeam's Our cookstoves eliminate smoke inside the home, and reduce the total smoke emitted by almost 90%. Our club has made several donations to StoveTeams's efforts and we are encouraged by the results we have seen over the years. Shelby's presentation deck can by viewed here: https://bit.ly/4cFnuWF
