| Partnership for Clean Indoor Air Conference by Bridget Huttenlocher
Solar Household Energy exhibited the HotPotTM at the Partnership for Clean
Indoor Air Conference in Bangalore, India. The conference was dedicated to
sharing alternative technologies to reduce indoor air pollution and clean
indoor air program best practices. Over 100 groups from Latin America,
Africa, Europe, the United States, Asia, and India participated in the
March, 2007 conference.
The conference was held at St. John's Medical College and addressed such
issues as: raising the visibility of clean indoor air and the innovative,
successful efforts being implemented worldwide; strengthening partners'
capacity to implement highly effective household energy programs, and
mobilize and leverage resources; identifying common strategic objectives and
opportunities for collaboration; developing a Partnership for Clean Indoor
Air Report on the new generation of healthy and affordable household energy
interventions; and generating commitments and actions to achieve the eight
Forum priorities. On the final day of the conference, participants visited
villages where two Indian NGO partners work. Indoor air pollution has been
greatly reduced due to the installation of various types of fuel-efficient
stoves that emit less smoke than traditional cooking fires.
SHE displayed the HotPot and answered questions about our programs. The
EPA's Partnership for Clean Indoor Air funded a 2-year grant for SHE's
Mexico HotPot solar cooking program. Traditionally, the use of fuel wood in
poorly ventilated kitchens results in toxic smoke inhalation, to improve
indoor air quality in rural Mexican households SHE, in partnership with the
Mexican Foundation for the Protection of Nature, implemented the HotPot
solar cooking program that trained Mexican families to use the HotPot. To
date 3,000 HotPots have been sold in Mexico.
All participants agreed the conference re-instilled their commitment to the
Partnership and improve indoor air quality.
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