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Q. What is Project Gaia? How did the organization start?
A. Project Gaia is working to promote clean cooking fuels and stoves throughout the world. Officially Project Gaia was founded in 2007, but Gaia has been involved in this mission for much longer. Information about Project Gaia and its overseas affiliates can be found here.
A. Project Gaia is named after the Greek goddess of the earth, Gaia. Alcohol fuels complete the carbon cycle, as they derive from photosynthesis. Gaia the goddess is known for bringing elements into harmony—just as Project Gaia seeks to harmonize fuel production and use to sustain human life.
Q. Why is clean cooking fuel so important?
A. Worldwide three billion people are still cooking with solid fuels. Most of these families live in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
Q. Where is this problem threatening families and the natural environment?
A. Without clean energy, cooking meals is a daily burden as many people become ill as a result of smoke and rates of deforestation increase from gathering so much fuelwood.
Q. Why doesn’t the government step in to make policy change?
A. Even though more people die from illnesses caused by Indoor Air Pollution than from AIDS or malaria, this issue has yet to be seen on a global level. This is changing. Once governments, policymakers, and ordinary people become aware of the issue, it is easy to realize the scope of this big problem—but that we have real solutions.
Q. How can I donate a CleanCook stove to a family in poverty?
A. Through Paypal, you can donate a CleanCook stove to a family through Project Gaia, or you can donate directly to Project Gaia by downloading our printable form (in PDF format) and mailing it to us with your personal check.
Q. Where will my donation be used?
A. When you donate a stove, Gaia staff will ensure it reaches a needy family. Your stove could go to any of our project sites where we work with people who are not able to afford clean stoves.
Q. How will I know that my donation helped a family in need?
A. After you donate a stove, one of our team members will contact you and let you know how much your stove is appreciated. Our staff members are present in project sites to conduct follow up, so they will be able to interact with the family that received a stove donated in your name.
Q. I’d like to host an event to fundraise for Gaia. How can I do this?
A. This website is full of information you can use for your event. You could screen the movie Cooking to Live and host a discussion. You can also contact us at info@projectgaia.com for more ideas or send us ideas of your own!
Q. How can I get my students involved with Gaia’s projects?
A. Students are often the best advocates for change; you can write cards to kids living in one of the refugee camps or organize a student-run fundraising campaign. We count on students to give us creative ideas that we can pass on to others.
Q. Can I donate my professional services to Gaia?
A. Contact us at info@projectgaia.com with a current resume/CV and we can let you know what types of opportunities are available at the moment.
Q. Where does the fuel come from and how is it produced?
A. Most of the fuel is a wasted material or residue—we only promote sustainable projects. Learn more about ethanol and methanol here.
Q. Who manufactures the stove and where?
A. Currently the CleanCook is manufactured in Sweden and Slovakia by Dometic AB, but the stoves will soon be made in Ethiopia and Brazil.
Q. How are stoves and fuel distributed to families in need?
A. At our project sites, Gaia staff members are present to train families in using the stove. Fuel is distributed either monthly or weekly (~1 liter per family per day). Staff members are also follow-up with families and are trained to make stove repairs.
Q. How much does ethanol and methanol cost the consumer?
A. It depends on the country. In Ethiopia, a liter of ethanol currently costs about US$0.25 to US$0.35 in the market. Methanol is slightly cheaper.
Q. How long can you cook before refilling the stove?
A. A full fuel tank of ethanol or methanol in the stove will burn for approximately 4.5 hours on maximum power.
Q. Will the alcohol fuel evaporate from the stove when it is not in use?
A. If the stove's regulator, is closed, under normal conditions the alcohol fuel will not evaporate from the stove. Learn more here.
Q. Why does the CleanCook stove fuel canister stay cool when the stove is in use?
A. When ethanol or methanol, or a mixture of the two alcohols, evaporates from the fuel canister into the stove's combustion chimney, the liquid fuel adsorbed onto the fiber in the canister is cooled. This cooling occurs because it takes heat to evaporate alcohol, or any liquid, from its liquid state to a gas. As alcohol evaporates, the heat leaves with the gas, cooling the liquid. Learn more here.
Q. Do people drink the ethanol fuel?
A. No, all fuel intended for use in stoves is denatured with an extremely bitter chemical. Once the chemical mixes with the ethanol, it is too bitter for anyone to drink! Gaia also uses a blue dye to differentiate between alcohol for stoves—and alcohol for drinking.
Q. Why does the CleanCook canister stay cool?
A. The heat of the liquid fuel is released as the fuel itself evaporates. For a detailed explanation, download this flyer (PDF).
Q. Where else can I get information about stoves and household energy?
A. Here are a number of organizations interested in this topic:
• HEDON Household Energy Network
• PCIA Partnership for Clean Indoor Air
• World Health Organization
• CarbonAided
• Dr. Kirk Smith’s website for key papers on health and environmental benefits of clean cooking
• UNDP Millennium Development Goals
Q. How can I ask a question about Project Gaia that’s not on this list?
A. You can email your inquiries to info@projectgaia.com.
