U.S. & World

(WCCO) It's a fact that's hard to comprehend: over half of the world's population is still cooking meals over wood fires. Far more than the time it takes to continuously gather firewood, the dangers of breathing smoke and working near open fires is a growing health threat.

Yet, there's a far more ominous consequence that has ecologists nervous. They're worried about the effects of rapid deforestation in heavily populated areas where harvesting wood is leading to serious soil erosion.

Since 1988, a Minneapolis non-profit agency has been helping to address those concerns.

The Solar Oven Society continues to deliver thousands of solar ovens to the poorest parts of the world. By partnering with churches, civic organizations and volunteers, overhead is kept low.

Each solar oven begins with teams of volunteers cutting out the individual parts. Using homemade jigs, panels of foil covered insulation are sliced out using giant pizza cutters.

"We wanted a durable oven, attractive oven, one that works good but one that's affordable," says Solar Oven Society co-founder Mike Port.

Twenty-one years ago, Mike and his wife Martha answered a calling. They had a desire to work together on a project that would help make a difference in the world. After they learned the plight of so many poor women, who toil over open fires just to feed their families, the idea was borne. That's when the Ports created a simple solar powered oven to help feed the world's hungry.

"We strategically chose to design it so that it does not depend on electricity," Martha Port says referring to the assembly process.

To save on overseas shipping, many of the units are packed into boxes unassembled. That way the people who receive them can take ownership in putting them together. Some villages have even set up small assembly operations to help provide jobs.

Besides providing the solar ovens to the world's poor, the Solar Oven Society operates a retail arm, selling them to the general public. Profits gained from selling to campers, outdoor enthusiasts or simply back yard cooks will help defray the costs of the ongoing international operation.

The most recent shipment is destined for villages in Haiti. That's one of the countries where cooking over wood fires is creating an ecological nightmare.

As Martha points out, "Decades later, many of these countries are down to less than two- and five-percent of their trees remaining. That's because it's used primarily for cooking."

Since SOS was founded some 10-thousand solar ovens have been sent to 45 different countries. A world map posted on the office wall has push pins to indicate those locations.

Many of the villages are located in Africa, Central America and South Asia. Places like the poorest parts of Cambodia, Kenya and more recently Afghanistan.

However, to get the full appreciation of just how easy, safe, inexpensive and nutritious solar cooking is Martha demonstrated in the society's parking lot. Three solar ovens, each containing two pots, had been in the sunlight for about two hours. The internal temperatures were approaching 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

When she opened the covers, a delicious, steamy aroma poured out. Removing the lid of each pot revealed perfectly done chicken, corn, asparagus and bratwurst. Each dish cooked to perfection by the simple power of the sun.

Easy to see how this simple cooking method is saving both time and energy for people who are fuel poor, but sun rich.

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