Throughout Central America, families often rely on open wood-burning stoves to cook their meals. Not only do these stoves generate carbon emissions that are harmful for the planet, they produce household smoke and soot that contributes to millions of premature deaths each year. Clean cookstoves offer a tangible and immediate solution to air pollution. Each cookstove reduces about three tonnes of carbon emissions per year while also offering additional benefits to local communities, including drastically reducing carbon monoxide in homes by 79%, saving families time and money collecting firewood, all while creating hundreds of local jobs.
"As if significantly reducing carbon emissions wasn't enough, I've seen first-hand when visiting Central American homes what a difference these stoves can make in the lives of often impoverished families, especially the health benefits to women and children," said Dee Lawrence, Cool Effect Co-founder and Director of Carbon Projects. "We have an immediate crisis of funding for communities and climate action. Verified carbon projects, backed by clean cookstove technology and fueled by carbon finance, can be truly transformational."
Since its inception in 2015, Cool Effect has helped fund the installation of clean cookstoves in Honduras and Guatemala by supporting the "Breath of Fresh Air" carbon project. The project has distributed over 330,000 cookstoves to date, and the popularity of the life-changing stoves has spread across the region through word of mouth.
Supporters can contribute to the nonprofit's goal by purchasing verified carbon credits. There are several ways supporters can make an impact:
- Donate an el cinco: for $12, supporters can donate an el cinco, a vital maintenance tool which ensures each cookstove operates efficiently for its entire lifetime.
- Donate a plancha: supporters can donate the steel stovetop, called the "plancha," which heats faster and cooks more evenly than traditional methods for $60.
- Donate a new cookstove: for $85, fund the installation of an entire cookstove.
"Many people are looking for ways to give back during the holiday season, and climate is an urgent need. This project demonstrates that our actions to reduce emissions can also have significant community benefits," said Jodi Manning, Cool Effect's VP of Marketing and Corporate Partnerships. "We hope we're able to capture the spirit of generosity and route it toward a cause that is benefiting both the planet and its people, at a time when they need it most."
To contribute to Cool Effect's 'Give The Gift of Clean Air' Campaign goal of donating over 100 clean cookstoves to families in need across rural Honduras and Guatemala, please visit cooleffect.org/cookstoves.
About Cool Effect™
Cool Effect is a San Francisco Bay Area 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to reducing carbon emissions around the world. Endorsed by 1% for the Planet, its mission is to educate and then inspire businesses and individuals to take measurable action against climate change by purchasing scientifically verified carbon credits from the world's highest quality projects. It returns more than 90% of each donation directly to its project partners and, since its launch at the Paris COP in 2015, has helped projects receive compensation for over seven million tonnes of emission reductions. Like the Butterfly Effect, The Ripple Effect, and others, a single action can have global impact. To learn more, please visit cooleffect.org or follow Cool Effect on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
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Jenn Eiskamp
Demonstrate PR on behalf of Cool Effect
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