Environmental research

Large amounts of fuel wood are consumed in the area for utilization at home. As a result fuel wood is becoming more and more scarce in the area. The women now have to travel farther and farther to fetch fuel wood for domestic purposes. The Smokeless Stove is fuel-efficient and it uses half as much fuel-wood as compared to the traditional stove. With the introduction of Smokeless stove in the local community, gathering fuel wood from the area will continue, however, the total amount collected in any given time period will be targeted to be lessened so that the pressure for fuel wood in the area is released and scarce forest reserves are conserved. The Smokeless stove generates heat in a smaller area and is well insulated by mud and brick enclave resulting in a smaller amount of fuel wood needed to generate the same amount of heat in an open fire. The lesser amount of smoke resulting from a smokeless stove compared to open fire cooking reduces the amount of harmful gas emissions, including carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, contributing to the Green House Effect. 3-day workshops will be held in 5 villages of Tehsil and District Sargodha. These workshops will be held at the village level. 30-40 women will be trained as chulha mechanics during each workshop. The local blacksmiths or lohars of each village will also be trained in making the tin chimneys, stove gates and the chimney damper. Thus the women of the village should be able to easily have the chulha mechanic make the stove and simultaneously they can recycle their old tin bins etc. by taking them to their lohar and having him make the chimney etc. out of this material, if they want to have the stove made in the cheapest possible way. Regularly, however, the blacksmith will use his own tin sheets to make the stove chimney etc. Thus the smokeless stove project has the salient characteristics of being simple in design and concept, easily imitable, sustainable, cost-effective and beneficial to the environment.

Pakistan