An A-List of Mountaineers support and endorse the Himalayan Stove Project. Chris Bonington, Doug Scott, Tom Hornbein, Erik Weihenmayer and Jeff Evans serve as very active Advisory Board members, guiding the efforts of this unique US Based charity. Reinhold Messner, Simone Moro, Rebecca Stevens, Carlos Buhler, Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, Dave Hahn, Sandy Hill and dozens and dozens more distinguished Himalayan Mountaineers endorse their efforts as well.
All have suffered in the smoke-choked homes of the Sherpa's in Nepal, where the acrid wood and yak-dung smoke creates an enormous health hazard for the people who live in this fragile environment. The Himalayan Stove Project is dedicated to improving the health of the people in the trans-Himalayan region.The organisation provides free, clean-burning, highly fuel-efficient cook stoves to families living in the Himalayas who now cook with traditional, rudimentary stoves or over open fire pits inside their homes, consuming excessive amounts of precious fuel and polluting the indoor air to dangerously unhealthy levels.
Replacing open cooking fires and primitive stoves, improves health and quality of life of families by dramatically reducing indoor air pollution. It also decreases environmental damage in the fragile and sensitive Himalayan ecosystem by reducing de-forestation and reducing carbon emissions. The organisation has, thus far in it's first two years, delivered 1,400 stoves in Nepal, transforming the lives of individuals, families and communities, one clean cookstove at a time. It is staffed totally by volunteers who pay all their own expenses (including travel to Nepal) so that virtually all donated funds are used to accomplish their mission, and they make substantial contributions to the local economy.
Their on the ground work in Nepal is through experienced Himalayan Partners (including the Himalayan Trust (UK) and Community Action Nepal) who have had decades of close connection with the local communities, and know their needs.
For more information, and to make a donation, go to their website at http://www.himalayanstoveproject.org byGeorge Basch