You (the African peasant here) don’t cook when the sun goes down, because you decided you’d rather use the sun than chop and haul wood… unless you decide to use firewood after all. I guess it’s still up to “you.”

* Why doesn’t HP sponsor a contest to figure out development projects that would enable poor Africans to obtain the money they need to obtain electricity, water & sewer, etc.?

Or maybe you could do that. Leave the solar oven fascism to HP. Their loss. I smell real opportunity!

* Isn’t the Kyoto Box, at best, like putting a band-aid on a cancer lesion?

Well, it’s no modern kitchen, but if I were living there, I’d rather have the “convenience” of a solar oven than foraging for wood all the time. Given the current prospects for these people and tightening budgets due to the economy, they might even be grateful. But who are you or I to make these assumptions? Maybe the real arrogance is assuming we know what they think about this project without asking.

* Isn’t it interesting how the purpose of the contest is to avert climate change rather than to help poor Africans lead a better life? if you’re a poor African, do you really care about atmospheric carbon dioxide and mean global temperatures 100 years from now?

Actually raising global temps and increasing desertification will have a direct impact on agriculture and water supplies in Africa, definitely effecting the poor. This is why African representatives at Coppenhagen said that temperature increases deemed acceptable by the leaders of developed nations (Obama et all) will be suicide for their populations.

* How much climate change could possibly be caused by poor Africans cooking on wood fires in the first place?

I’m guessing not much.

* Doesn’t it seem like the only true beneficiaries are Bohmer (who will profit obscenely by assembling some cardboard, plastic and foil) and the corporations who can earn carbon credits (while continuing to emit greenhouse gases) and score PR points.

Again, maybe asking the villagers in question would be the way to go. But I’m sure you’re right on about the PR.

I find it absurd that they are giving a cash bonus to someone that gave them something you can get for free. There has been a group of people working for more than 20 years with projects all over the world to provide information on solar cooking and more inportantly, water pasturization. You can find them at http://solarcooking.org. There are plans for making your own cookers out of easy to find materials. Go ahead have some fun with solar cooking just don’t try and use other peoples ideas for prize money. Or better yet give the prize money to some of these world-wide care orgainizations.

I know a recipient of a major charitable award who worked very hard to raise money to distribute solar cookers to the refugees of Darfur.

The purpose behind the solar cookers had nothing to do with carbon dioxide. Rather, the purpose of the solar cookers was to save the women from having to go out and obtain
firewood to cook, an activity that was very dangerous because women who left the refugee camps at great peril to themselves.

And the refugees were given the materials to make the cookers.

In my view, it was a good idea for the Darfur refugees because of their special situation. And, the reason she got the award was how much money she raised, how many people she managed to get involved in the project and how many cookers she was able to supply.

I am surprised that HP didn’t check out that this idea had been used in Darfur. And, as far as giving this guy a patent for this. That seems absurd.

It seems to me that there was enough wood in those forest to make a wheeled cart. Use it to carry your wood to the mud brick fireplace (complete with chimney). While dinner is cooking sharpen a big stick and use it to put the men to work.

That was the first thought that passed through my mind – make him use it!

Somehow I don’t believe saving the world from global warming ranks very high in these women’s agendas.

And the Scouts are right, that is an old camp oven project. In fact it looks very much like the one Reynolds Aluminum had in one of their little pamphlets

So this joker didn’t invent it,he just stole the idea from somebody else. Shouldn’t Reynolds get the cash?

And I guess they just aren’t supposed to cook on rainy days.

What a ripoff.