StoveTeam recently received the results of a third-party study on the effectiveness of our Ecocina cookstoves at reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, a leading cause of climate change.
Previously, we had used figures determined through laboratory studies which found that on average each stove reduces carbon emissions by 2.5 tons per year, for a conservative average lifespan of 3 years.
Two women make tortillas over Ecocina cookstoves during an in-field stove efficiency test.
Recently, we received the results of an extensive study of over 1,500 stoves conducted entirely in the field by the major carbon credit issuer Microsol.
Microsol found that each Ecocina cookstove reduces CO2 emissions by between 3 and 7 tons per year!
In another big win, Microsol found that even 7 years after they were distributed, over two thirds of the Ecocina cookstoves were still in use! This is the first time a third party has studied the lifespan of Ecocina cookstoves this extensively.
These factors have led us to a new estimate that each $50 Ecocina cookstove that is donated prevents at least 10.5 tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere! This equals over half the yearly carbon footprint of the average American.
Here are some averages to give 10.5 tons some perspective:
The average American’s total CO2 output is 16 tons per year
The average American passenger vehicle is responsible for 4.6 tons per year
A roundtrip flight from LAX to NYC generates about 1.1 tons of CO2
Use an online carbon calculator to determine your exact footprint!
Nancy Hughes, founder of StoveTeam International.
When Nancy Hughes founded StoveTeam in 2007 she set out to help save the people of Latin America from respiratory illnesses, burns, and economic hardships caused by open-fire cooking, but she did not plan to contribute toward one of the world's major solutions to climate change.