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ANNUAL REPORT CONTACT SCI |
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SUNSPOTS — Summer Solstice 2010
Content
Message from the Board
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| Sharon Cousins |
I have conducted demonstrations in my home region and implemented a few youth projects, and I often carry solar food samples and handouts to give away when I shop at the local farmer's market. I am currently working as long-distance advisor to Camily Wedende of Eldoret, Kenya to help design and implement a solar cooking science pilot project for 20 young students.
Solar cooking happens to be fun. I love the six months out of most years I can thumb my nose at the power barons and cook with sunshine more than my stove. There are so many easy ways to harness the power of sunshine to cook. As my fascination and competence grew, I began modifying existing solar cooker designs and even began creating my own. My inventions include the EZ-3 Solar Cooker and a solar-modified kettle grill that can reach temperatures of 400°F in a cast-iron fry pan. I'm currently investigating ideas for inexpensive solar cookers that can withstand warm, humid climates.
There is more information about my solar cooking activities on the Solar Cooking Archive Wiki. Find out more about Solar Cookers International's exciting work at solarcookers.org.
Sharon Cousins
SCI Board of Directors
The Aurora
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| SCI's advocacy efforts promote broader solar cooker support |
Raising awareness among decision makers about the potential for solar cookers to improve lives and environments is a necessary step towards broader acceptance and long-term viability of our projects and those conducted by others around the world. With skilled volunteers in Geneva, Washington, DC, New York, and other global centers, we continue to knock on doors and advocate for better partnerships and understanding of solar cooking and how solar cookers can and do improve lives.
This spring, Executive Director Dolores Weis traveled to Geneva to develop strategies with our volunteer United Nations (UN) representatives Sonia Heptonstall and Joyce Jett and to further strengthen relationships at the UN, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Conference of Nongovernmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO). Dolores then spent time in Washington, DC, updating the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on our progress towards reducing women's exposure to indoor cooking smoke in Kadibo, Kenya. After meeting with the U.S. Department of State, Dolores joined SCI Development Director Rene Hamlin and SCI Board Member and volunteer UN advocate A.J. Lederman in New York to convene a series of meetings with other international nongovernmental organizations, including CoNGO and the Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO), as well as representatives from the U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA).
Each meeting was very productive and strengthened the understanding of solar cooking, solar water pasteurization, women and children's safety, and food security issues. First meetings lead to second meetings and growing relationships that are a vital component of a healthy advocacy program.
Our advocates are all over the world, meeting and demonstrating solar cooking to global leaders, local politicians, and community groups in the hope that solar cookers will be used to help alleviate a world of ills. This is the year of the woman at the UN. We feel that solar cookers are the ultimate technology for women, providing the ability to cook food and pasteurize water with the power of the sun.
Cooking without firewood, dung, or charcoal means that women and children are not breathing in harmful smoke from cooking fires. It means that women can lower their cooking fuel expenses by one-third, or reduce the number of lengthy and dangerous firewood-gathering journeys they must make. They have more free time to pursue personal, familial, and social activities.
We are working hard in Switzerland, Kenya, the United States, and beyond to influence others to use and promote solar cooking. Thank you for your encouragement and support in these endeavors.
Arline J. Lederman
SCI Board of Directors
Rene Hamlin
SCI Resource Development Director
Solar Synergy
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| "Solar Sunshines" and SCI supporters in Woodstock, NY |
We have a dynamite core of solar cooking volunteers and representatives in Woodstock, New York. This great group of women, known as the Solar Sunshines, recently organized a wonderful event in Woodstock. Our thanks and appreciation goes out to Jan Bernhard, Sonia Chinn, Marilyn Janow, Annie Landfield, A.J. Lederman, Mary Messina, Suzanne Parker, and Angela Schapiro.
This first of what is hoped will be an annual solar cooking event — Woodstock Solar Shine On — was held on Saturday, June 5, 2010. The Woodstock Artists Association and Museum gave us use of its Towbin Museum Wing (with a splendid exhibit of well-known regional artists on the walls) and its private garden for the event. Woodstock is a summer watering hole for many New York urbanites, although it still has the aura of that music festival long ago that was actually held 88 miles away in a town called Bethel. Interest in Solar Shine On was high and attendance was very good despite several competing charity events. Woodstock is a good community in which to generate interest and support for solar cooking as a way to live and help create a sustainable world, and for solar cookers as simple devices that can immediately help one-half billion people living in sun-rich, fuel-poor regions.
Luc Moeys, proprietor and chef of prominent local restaurant Oriole 9, solar-cooked a lemon tilapia couscous that was a crowd favorite. He was joined by the owners of Sunflower Natural Foods Market, a local solar CooKit retailer, in sponsoring the event. Renowned artist and experienced solar cook Mary Frank gave a wonderful talk and donated a beautiful encaustic drawing that will be exhibited to our donors and auctioned at an upcoming event to benefit our programs. SCI Development Director Rene Hamlin attended the event, as did SCI Executive Director Dolores Weis, who also addressed the audience.
In additional to recruiting student help for the event, the Solar Sunshines made signs, decorated the hall, created beautiful advertisements, cooked and served food, sold merchandise, handed out literature, and encouraged donations as a way to help achieve Solar Cookers International's mission. We would not have had such a wonderful event if it was not for the energy of these wonderful ladies (and a few men as well!).
Arline J. Lederman
SCI Board of Directors
Rene Hamlin
SCI Resource Development Director
The Heliograph
SCI in the News
Earth Policy Institute | April 2010
"Reduce, Recycle, and Replant — Data Highlights on Restoring the World's Forests"
KCRW Public Radio | May 2010
"Good Food" (audio)