Since starting in 1999, Guatemala Stove Project has funded the construction of almost 7000 masonry cookstoves. These efficient cookstoves replace the use of a three stone fire or rudimentary stoves. The health and socio-economic benefits are numerous. These include family reports of reduced fuel costs, using half the amount of firewood so that less time is spent gathering fuel and the stove design permits cooking more items at one time. Individuals exhibit improved health as they no longer breath in toxic household smoke. The firebox of the cookstove burns fuel more efficiently so greenhouse gases are reduced.
The 2017 book Drawdown; The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming edited by Paul Hawkins documents the positive impact of clean cookstoves. Researchers analyzed and evaluated numerous current solutions addressing global warming. From these, 80 solutions were selected and ranked based on their ability to avoid and/or sequester carbon dioxide measured in gigatons. Impressively, clean cookstoves is listed as number 21. As the motto of Guatemala Stove Project states, “build a stove, change the future” .
Read more about Project Drawdown here : https://drawdown.org/