On September 20-27, 2019, the Global Climate Strike happened around the world. Activists in 150 countries and 4,500 locations left their classrooms, boardrooms, and homes to participate in the events, which attracted a crowed of 6-7 million. It came on the heels of similar strikes in March that had 1.6 million participants and a second in May with nearly 1,600 events.
The Global Climate Strike was the largest event of its kind in history. Along with millions of students, tens of thousands of health professionals, public figures, politicians have thrown in their support with the movement.
The question is, what was the result? Once supporters returned home with their signs, what was the net result?
Organizers had three demands. First, that fossil fuels loosen their grip on the global economy. Second, a transition to a 100-percent renewable energy economy and that those whose livelihoods depend on the fossil fuel industry can find a new career in the green economy. Third, that polluters be held accountable for their actions. Above all, the climate strike's purpose was not protest as a goal in itself, but a catalyst for future mobilization.
At GoSun we support collective action like this that takes the global threat of C02 emissions seriously and look for ways for the world to transition to carbon-free, sustainable energy. Here are ways that we support the goals of the global climate strike and how we want to make these goals become a reality.
Eliminate Cooking on Open Fires
One of the largest problems facing the world today is clean cooking. Every day 3 billion people (40 percent of the Earth’s population) cook on open fires that consume forests and produce harmful emissions. The World Health Organization estimates that 4 million people die prematurely as a result of illness attributable to household air pollution from cooking with solid fuels. That's to say nothing of the C02 emissions of open cookstoves. Paul Hawken’s latest book “Drawdown" outlines how getting people off of open cookstoves in developing countries is one of the best things we can do to help slow down global warming.
But this problem isn't confined to the developing world using charcoal and coal for cooking their food. Americans with barbecue grills are equally, if not more guilty.
According to a 2009 study by Swiss researcher Eric Johnson, propane emits 11 pounds of C02 per grill session, propane 5.6 pounds. The propane emissions equal the C02 output of a car driven eight miles. The charcoal output equals 22 miles of driving.
To sum it up, grilling meats might be an American tradition, but it’s only marginally more healthy than dumping lead paint into a clean water source.
How Solar Cooking Meets the Global Climate Strike's Goals
Solar cookers, if used daily, could eliminate the C02 emissions sins of charcoal and propane grills by saving an estimated two metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per year per household. Multiplied by the aforementioned billions who rely on charcoal and wood fire cooking across the world, the effect that carbon-free cooking could have on switching the world over to fully renewable energy is truly staggering.
Of course, our goals are not simply to provide sustainable cooking technology. We also want to make it fast and easy. And thanks to our vacuum insulated oven, you can cook regardless of the weather, even in a cloudy day in January.
Click here to learn more about what GoSun is doing to meet these challenges.