Demonstration Numero Uno

On Friday June 5th CEDESOL participated in a Global Climate Change awareness event in Cochabamba.  This event was held to bring awareness to the problems that Global Climate Change is causing for Bolivia and what the people can do to help combat these changes.  This was a very unique perspective and interesting way to host an event.  So many times the literature and demonstrations I have read or attended talk about the “global implications” of these changes;  the large melting ice shelves, the rising sea levels, desertification, etc.  While all of these are very scary realities, they do not have the attention grabbing power that the local affects of climate change does.  It is one thing to tell a person that polar bears will die off because of climate change, which is a good visual and very scary, but honest how often does anyone see a polar bear?  If a person is told that their local stream is slowly growing smaller and eventually going to dry up, thus preventing them from watering their crops.  Boom attention is grabbed!  However, the event was also well structured as groups were invited to show how climate change could be combated.  This again is very important because it showed people what they could do to be part of the solution.

CEDESOL was there as part of the solution!  We had set up two of the solar cookers, one regular and one double.  We had the rocket stove in full force burning read hot while using very little wood.  The demonstration was a great time to highlight the positive impact these stoves have on the campos in the country as well as how useful a solar stove would be for a family that lives in the city of Cochabamba.  Solar stoves were a huge hit, as many of the public was skeptical that they would work!  Well work they did!  We had large trays of hamburgers cooking and enticing the crowd.  Once they were done, we let the people have a hamburger and they were completely sold on the idea of the solar stoves.  The event was a great success and numerous people left with literature in their pocket and the solar cooked burger in their belly!

Many people came to see what the solar stoves were all about.

The Rocket Stove cooking up some delicious Api.The solar stoves in full force, gaining attention and cooking delicious food!