The Paradigm Project - Stoves for the third world to benefit us all

Three billion people around the world rely on open-fire cooking every day and because of this forests are disappearing and women and children are dying from the smoke inhalation.  In fact, more than 1.6 million people die every year from smoke inhalation and it’s the number one killer of children under the age of 5 (more than AIDS, malaria, malnutrition and water-borne disease).

Stove Man Video

It’s because of this human tragedy that The Paradigm Project team members will depart San Diego on a 136-mile WOOD WALK over ten days through Southern California.  Each will carry a 50-pound bundle of wood on his/her back to bring to light the issues related to open-fire cooking and their unique business proposition to solve this issue.  Paradigm proposes “Rocket Stoves” which are clean-burning and efficient stoves that reduce emissions.  They also reduce wood consumption and will help end the deforestation which can lead to a better life and a brighter future.

100% of your donation goes directly to project needs through The Paradigm Foundation, 501c3, and is fully tax deductible.

Your donation creates the ability for a family or village to afford a stove. The stove requires a financial commitment from the recipient – the Project believes that people inherently don’t value what’s given to them for free. So your donation provides the package for the family to purchase at a heavily discounted rate and with it they are provided training on how to use the stove.  Additionally,  your donation covers marketing, transportation and distribution of the stove, and monitoring to ensure the stove is working properly.

Proceeds from these sales create a self-sustaining mechanism that ultimately eliminates the need for continued outside funding. Surplus proceeds support other community projects such as clean water, health clinics and schools at the discretion of the community.

After watching the video above, I’ve fallen in love with this project and am donating in my grandmother’s memory.  She was buried today on her 98th birthday and she would love that I remembered her this way. She traveled across the US to the west coast in a covered wagon and they cooked on an open fire. She’d have giggled at the video. I loved that about her.

Purchase a Wood Walk t-shirt - Proceeds from this shirt will be benefit the Paradigm Project.

Purchase a Wood Walk t-shirt - Proceeds from this shirt will be benefit the Paradigm Project.

Check out the project at the following locations – here is their travel route:

  • Tuesday October 4: 2422 Perez Cove Way to UCSD – 10.4 miles
  • Wednesday October 5: UCSD to San Elijio State Beach – 11.1 miles
  • Thursday October 6: San Elijo State Beach to Oceanside RV park – 12 miles
  • Friday October 7: Oceanside RV park to Dana Point – 11.4 miles
  • Saturday October 8: Dana Point to Crystal Cove – 12.7 miles/ 2.25 hrs
  • Sunday October 9: Crystal Cove to Seapoint St Huntington Beach 13.7 miles
  • Monday, October 10: Huntington Beach to Long Beach City Aviation College 12.0 miles
  • Tuesday, October 11: Long Beach City Aviation to Redondo Beach 15.1 miles
  • Wednesday October 12: Redondo Beach to Media Park, Culver City 14.1 miles
  • Thursday October 13: Media Park (Culver City) to Space 15 Twenty in Hollywood

You can learn more about the issue and The Paradigm Project’s proposed solution, which has been recognized twice by the Clinton Global Initiative, here. You can also learn more about the Woodwalk.

:me:

  • Bringing 5 Million Rocket Stoves To Women Worldwide: The Paradigm Project (treehugger.com)
  • Children, the Great Leveler (cherrymenlove.com)