In the developing world, the overwhelming majority of greenhouse gases originate from three critical daily tasks: lighting the house, cooking and farming. Combining efforts to reduce harmful emissions and increase support for communities in need, Global Impact member charities offer families—and the planet—a breath of fresh air.

A Bright Idea
Nearly 2 billion people around the world light their homes with kerosene, at an annual cost of $39 billion. In addition to the environmental toll—a single lamp wick emits more than 250kg of carbon dioxide (CO₂) annually—the financial burden on poor households is crushing.

In February, ACCION International and partners in Uganda launched Energy Links, a pilot project bringing clean energy to developing countries via microfinance. Energy Links aims to reduce emissions through the production and sale of solar-powered lights. A single 1-watt solar bulb casts more light than three kerosene lamps, lasts forever and is virtually unbreakable.

Through Energy Links, ACCION disburses $100–$300 loans to "small-scale energy entrepreneurs," who then purchase and sell the economical lights in their communities at a price tag profitable to themselves and affordable to the consumer.

Now We’re Cookin'

Linda Mason/Mercy Corps

A Darfurian woman stands beside several fuel-efficient cookstoves she's made after Mercy Corps' training.

The fourth leading cause of death in developing countries is indoor smoke pollution attributed to inefficient cook stoves, according to the World Health Organization. In poor ventilation, the smoke causes respiratory failure and eye problems, leading to1.5 million deaths each year.

Both Mercy Corps and the International Rescue Committee train women in refugee camps to use and produce fuel-efficient stoves, a skill that not only saves energy and lives, but also puts money in their pockets.

The stove’s design not only reduces the immediate environmental impact, but also lessens the need for women to travel outside camps to gather wood, which can itself be life-threatening. In addition, the stoves require half the normal wood supply, decreasing pollution while providing income from selling the stoves and extra wood. 

Harvesting Nature’s Power
In rural provinces of China (the world’s leading greenhouse gas emitter), poor families cannot afford coal or electricity for cooking. Instead, they must gather firewood, causing serious soil erosion and deforestation—often cited as a major cause of the greenhouse effect. Trees and soil absorb CO₂ that would otherwise enter the atmosphere.

Church World Service

Chinese workers construct a bio-gas system.

 
Church World Service underscores the importance of environmental protection, identifying alternative sources of fuel that are both ecological and cost-effective. Their bio-gas development project converts plant, animal and human waste into methane gas for cooking and lighting, making villages more energy-efficient.

“These families live in the mountains and have no access to transportation and energy supplies. Firewood has been the preferred element for cooking,” notes the project’s manager.

“Bio-gas is a much-needed alternative energy source. It also insures environmental protection for the members of this community.”