http://ecolocalizer.com/2008/08/27/magic-of-the-tsotso-stove/ News & commentary on sustainability, activism, urban planning, politics, and our world. Thu, 24 May 2012 17:56:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://ecolocalizer.com/2008/08/27/magic-of-the-tsotso-stove/comment-page-1/#comment-60062 jrup Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:26:19 +0000 http://ecoworldly.com/?p=1513#comment-60062 A fine stop-gap notion brought to fruition - but I still prefer the solar oven (not the heavy $500-1000 model which a village might use)which is family friendly and cheap!!! Many families find during a simple camping trip or visit to a national forest that open fires, even in campgrounds, are forbidden because of dry, wildfire conditions. The oven I have in mind can be made from rigid foam insulation (many of them out of a single 2 inch thick 4'X8' sheet), a roll of metallic tape, a roll of duct tape and an appropriate sized sheet of clean acrylic 'glass' ... oh, and a small, medium or large Dutch oven. Cut 2 triangles, 2 squares and tape them together to form an open, upward facing 'stage'. Put the oven and stew, meatloaf, fish, etc., on the stage and cover it with the glass, using tape to form hinges and hasp. Place the oven in the sun and go somewhere to play or work or ... come back once in a while to smell the great aromas or turn the fish ... Hikers, fishermen, even commuters can leave dinner on the porch or in a sunny room and have a hot meal awaiting them in the evening. Hikers and campers should be aware that wild critters are also hungry and have good smelling organs. Each 'oven' should cost around $30 and your children can make them in a few minutes. Make several if you need more than one dish. The secret is in the reflectivity of rigid foam insulation and the metallic tape you use inside, which reflects sunlight from all angles onto your cast iron 'oven' ... use a small thermometer if you are skeptical. A fine stop-gap notion brought to fruition – but I still prefer the solar oven (not the heavy $500-1000 model which a village might use)which is family friendly and cheap!!! Many families find during a simple camping trip or visit to a national forest that open fires, even in campgrounds, are forbidden because of dry, wildfire conditions. The oven I have in mind can be made from rigid foam insulation (many of them out of a single 2 inch thick 4′X8′ sheet), a roll of metallic tape, a roll of duct tape and an appropriate sized sheet of clean acrylic ‘glass’ …
oh, and a small, medium or large Dutch oven. Cut 2 triangles, 2 squares and tape them together to form an open, upward facing ‘stage’. Put the oven and stew, meatloaf, fish, etc., on the stage and cover it with the glass, using tape to form hinges and hasp. Place the oven in the sun and go somewhere to play or work or … come back once in a while to smell the great aromas or turn the fish … Hikers, fishermen, even commuters can leave dinner on the porch or in a sunny room and have a hot meal awaiting them in the evening. Hikers and campers should be aware that wild critters are also hungry and have good smelling organs. Each ‘oven’ should cost around $30 and your children can make them in a few minutes. Make several if you need more than one dish. The secret is in the reflectivity of rigid foam insulation and the metallic tape you use inside, which reflects sunlight from all angles onto your cast iron ‘oven’ … use a small thermometer if you are skeptical.

]]> http://ecolocalizer.com/2008/08/27/magic-of-the-tsotso-stove/comment-page-1/#comment-60061 Gene Russell Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:01:36 +0000 http://ecoworldly.com/?p=1513#comment-60061 A similar but more sophisticated phenomenon is being utilized in fuel oil dependent America, which is 78% located in New England / North East. Poor, elderly, low income, mid income and fixed income households are adding or converting from fuel oil to wood stoves and wood pellet stoves. These too are EPA friendly through controlled combustion. The biomass map of the United States and Canada including forest floor rot and clean up, scrap wood, and so forth is very impressive. It presents a new alternative to imported fuel oil to heat homes in colder climate. A similar but more sophisticated phenomenon is being utilized in fuel oil dependent America, which is 78% located in New England / North East. Poor, elderly, low income, mid income and fixed income households are adding or converting from fuel oil to wood stoves and wood pellet stoves. These too are EPA friendly through controlled combustion. The biomass map of the United States and Canada including forest floor rot and clean up, scrap wood, and so forth is very impressive. It presents a new alternative to imported fuel oil to heat homes in colder climate.

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