HEALTH
In addition to being a safety hazard, extended periods of exposure to smoke emitted from open fires for cooking and kerosene lamps for lighting cause a wide range of child and adult diseases including acute and chronic respiratory conditions, lung cancer, ischemic heart disease, stroke, cataract and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The WHO estimates that over 4 million people die prematurely every year from illness attributable to the household air pollution from cooking with solid fuels. And more than 50% of these deaths among children under 5 are due to pneumonia caused by particulate matter (soot) inhaled from household air pollution.
INCOME
Fuels like kerosene, coal and wood are inefficient and inadequate sources of lighting as they are used sparingly and restrict livelihood activities from continuing after sunset. Not only do these fuels turn out to be relatively expensive sources of lighting, they also inhibit the development of livelihood opportunities beyond daylight hours.
EDUCATION
Fuels like kerosene, coal and wood are inefficient and inadequate sources of lighting as they are used sparingly and restrict livelihood activities from continuing after sunset. Not only do these fuels turn out to be relatively expensive sources of lighting, they also inhibit the development of livelihood opportunities beyond daylight hours.
WOMEN
The lack of access to modern energy puts a significant burden on women in a household. The physical drudgery of walking miles to collect fuel for lighting and cooking leaves them no time to pursue any other form of livelihood or development, restricting their role to meeting the household’s practical needs only.
THE ENVIRONMENT
The inefficient use of solid fuels for cooking and heating is a major source of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) like black carbon that harm human health, agricultural yields and ecosystems and are a major contributing factor in global warming. The unsustainable harvesting of fuel wood also contributes to local forest degradation.
