Sometimes I think we simply accept things as they’ve always been. Kind of like charcoal stoves those ubiquitous coal pots you find all around Ghana. They’re just part of everyday life. You’re walking down the street and there’s that smell of smoke and heat and something cooking. Yes, the oldfashion stoves work, they’ve always worked, and they’re inexpensive. Let’s face it, they cook with more charcoal than a bbq joint and the smoke. It drives into your lungs, your eyes, your clothes. You can smelt it sticking to the skin of everything. It sucks, you keep doing it anyway because what else is there

Well, except for one other thing. These enhanced charcoal stoves, such as the Gyapa ones. Maybe you’ve heard of them, maybe you haven’t. They don’t seem like anything at first just another pot, really but they’re distinct. They consume far less charcoal, so you’re saving dollars. They don’t smoke you out like the old ones. It’s odd how something so tiny, so commonplace, can be reengineered to a point where it jus makes greater sense

People still hold on to the ancient ones. I know, change is tough. Particularly when funds are lean and patterns are entrenched. Sometimes I wonder if we’re truly selecting, or merely compromising. These improved stoves are not just about cooking. They’re about breathing easy, saving a little money, maybe even chopping a little slower. I know, it sounds dramatic, but it all adds up. Every meal, every fire, it’s a decision

Perhaps it’s time to consider the type of fire we’re igniting. Not just the stove’s heat, but what it consumes and what it might conserve if we cracked the equation just a bit more. You don’t have to change it all. Just the burner. Maybe it’s a good start.