Indoor Pollution from Cooking Fires Kills 1.5 Million People Annually
Friday January 25, 2008
More than half the world’s population—about 3 billion people—cook their meals with wood, dung, coal and other solid fuels over open fires or on primitive stoves inside their homes, and that simple act is killing 1.5 million people every year, according to a report by the World Health Organization. Modern stoves that burn cleaner fuels could be installed cheaply, and would create enormous health and economic benefits. Learn more about the dangers of indoor pollution from cooking fires and what can be done to prevent their deadly consequences. Photo courtesy of Clarita Natoli
Comments
In principle, the theory of installing more modern stoves which could reduce the killing effect of indoor cooking is lovely! However, it seems with this little information, one of those impractical ideas which have no merit and are dreamed up by people who have not themselves spent any time with the people concerned. In Africa, for example, it is very rare for structures to be owner-occupied, so who is going to spend time and money, the lack of the latter of which is precisely what causes the problem, on undertaking such an exercise? When families live well below poverty level food, shelter and water are the priorities and “installing” “modern stoves” (the two are deliberately separated as each one is in itself ridiculous in the circumstances)borders on the farcical. If well-meaning groups who are funded were to do the supplying and installing, perhaps at least a few people might benefit, or if housing authorities/governments/councils etc. were to reduce the slums and pavement dwellers, then one could look at such options.