Cooking a hot meal without the use of a stove or a flame during sunny weather may seem impossible to many but it is easy and the food may surprise one where taste is concerned.
Patricia McArdle of Solar Cookers International stands behind the Cookit solar cooking apparatus.
Following a demonstration yesterday by the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) at its Thomas Lands Headquarters, this newspaper got a first-hand look at the process in which the food was cooked, an aspect of the CDC’s disaster preparedness programme in which the central idea is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
The solar apparatus, called the Cookit, consists of a cardboard surface which is covered with insulated material, designed to trap heat from the sun. The cardboard surfaces stand at various angles to provide adequate heat around the pot, which is covered with a plastic bag to aid the heating process. The pot, which is then filled with ingredients for the dish, is then placed at the centre of the cardboard surface where cooking begins.
Yesterday’s menu consisted of cook-up which was done in two varieties, black eye peas and split peas, both steaming for over an hour.
Following this process the pot was placed in another apparatus which consisted of two cardboard boxes, a small box being placed in a bigger box. The small box is strategically placed within the bigger box, padded by pieces of newspaper and straw.
According to Patricia McArdle of Solar Cookers International, a US based-company which pilots such alternative cooking means, the food is kept warm in this device for as long as 3 to 4 hours. McArdle said that the apparatus is ideal for emergency situations and is very affordable.
Joseph Molinaro, Product Director of Relief Pod International LLC, demonstrates the use of the rescue device.
Following the cooking process, the food was sampled by those present, including students of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences of the University of Guyana who took part in the demonstration. While some persons were hesitant to sample the two varieties, it was unanimously agreed that the popular dish turned out to be quite tasty.
Meanwhile, members of the media were briefed and given a practical demonstration on the use and benefits of a ReliefPod, a device which was designed to aid in the survival of persons affected by disasters. Joseph Molinaro, Product Director of Relief Pod
Two University of Guyana students demonstrate the use of the Relief Pod.
International LLC, the company which manufactures the device, said that the Relief Pod can be adjusted to be used in various forms. The device can be used as a storage facility for food, first aid and water. In addition, Molinaro noted that the pod can also be used as a flotation device as well as for the transportation of injured or sick persons.
This must be a much improved design over the one I made in the ’90s for a school science fair. Mine took whole day to cook an egg. Congrats to the makers.
mine still in the makings ehehehehehehe
Glad to see these alternative devices finally being introduced in Guyana. You know my friends, I have developed a reputation for promoting low tech devices but I am not short of hi tech ideas. I have researched most of them.
Hydroponics, Aquaponics, green energy systems, green fuel systems etc. The first thing I ask myself is how can I modify this system to a no frills but still practical and functional system that can be used in Guyana. I keep looking at things in terms of the working labourer, a little guy with no money to invest in anything, then I take it from there.
For instance, in this great big agriculture drive the government is pushing, here is my alternative idea. A guy wakes up one morning in his village and decides to make a living as a farmer. He hears about this government project at Mon Repos that is encouraging experimental farming.
He shows up and is shown half acre plots of the different crops he can engage in and the recommended farming method. He completes a one week crash course, he is informed where and how his produce will be marketed and is then given a grant to a one acre plot of land, he is also given a number to call with any questions and have an agriculture officer show up to offer his helping hand.
He takes his package to the bank and is given a micro loan that will fit into the needs of his farming venture and off he goes.
But to encourage people to come see a large company plant some pepper trees and sow some seeds on a plot of land? What is the purpose. A bird can do that. Then what?
Also my friends you can make your own solar cooker. Get a sturdy carton box, line the flaps with aluminum foil put your pot in the center, angle the flaps to catch and direct the rays of the sun to the pot and there you have it.
Joe.
joe is it that easy to make a solar cooker?
Yes amen-ra there’s nothing to it. The pot should be painted black and that’s it. Now this system should be used supplementary to your stove or fireside.
It takes some time to cook so you can set up your rice, stews or soup on a hot sunny day and in a couple of hours you have food. It can also make pasteries and breads or dry fruits, shrimps etc. It is more of a money saver in otherwords.
At the end of the month you would have saved some money on gas or having to go fetch firewood.
Joe.
How do you cook at night?
I have seen a how water can be purified using glass to direct the suns’s rays to boil the water. I guess mirror/s can be used also ??
who the hell will sit in the sun for that time, let them market that product in the US and see how many will buy it, “IF THEY HAVE THE TIME TO COOK”
we have a lot of wood if there are no gas, coal or electric. personally i will never spend my money and buy such ???????????????.
“WHAT A JOKE, FOOD IN THE SUN FOR SO LONG WILL, WHO WILL EAT SPOIL FOOD”.
i was wondering the same thing but there are too many ppl doing nothing,they can spend some time,maybe allday in the sun cooking.
I read this article and I laughed so much, freespeech that people around me are looking at me really strangely as to why I got tears running down my face!!!!!!!!!!
Picture this if you will!!!!!!!!!
The poor Guyanese are suffering with this device to reduce carbon dioxide emissions for the world and all over North America, the party crowd are firing up their barbecue grills JUST FOR FUN.
That’s not JUST eye-pass!!!!
I’ve actually seen this implemented in Africa where “firewood” is a scarcity. And it works!!. Some of you are so shallow minded and cloistered, knows nothing about the world around you!!!
Lead from the front, gtgal.
You be sure and let us know when you have bought one of those cookers.
NOTE: In Guyana, “firewood” is NOT a scarcity.
why wehave to wait until foreigners tell us.the government is campaining about the reduction of carbon,we have the almost ideal weather conditions to take advantage of wind and solar power as altrernative energy.why can’t we do it. instead of relying on traditional sources such as diesel,etc why not start a nationwide campaign to encourage guyanese to utilise these sources of alternative energy.solar energy can be used to power security cameras to help fight crime for example.please help to promote this campaign stabroek news GPL and the guyana economy is under strain from the cost of fossil fuels.
do you think these so call alternative energy is cheap.
the average person cannot afford it
I would recommend that the government allow persons who can afford alternative sources of energy i.e,solar and wind power systems to have as duty free items on legally declaring hem them at a port of entry.This can be a pilot project to help the government’s campaign on low carbon levels. ALSO I would like to see solar powered cameras to help fight crime and support the police’s effort at crime fighting.We should be utilising the ideal weather conditions and our close proximity to the Atlantic as sources of alternative energy.That demonstration shoul only serve as an eye opener as to what we can achieve if we persevere on a national level.
why don’t you try cooking on these contraption.
who needs dis crap wen we ave fass food joints all over de place???
finga lickin gudd yuh cant stop ehehehehehehehehehehehe
I would like to see that thing boil tripe or kidney beans after all we’re takling Cook-Up Rice(“without local peper-sauce”).
imagine if you start cooking and night catch yuh,what gon happen? continue the following day!!and the stove should be on wheels to move to the sunshine when there is a lengty cloud cover.
boy what a joke, i lol until it start hurting.
Let’s hope if you do need to use it in an emergency, it’s not raining!
It is nice to see that this thing works so well in Guyana, but watch, the Goverment will soo start charging people sun tax watch out good people of Guyana.
lol, that’s a good one.
….they have already put a tax on the sun ,, when rohee was de ministah fuh foreign trade ,, i did everything i could to get him to see that ,, a “solar powered cell phone charger” that uses de power fum de sun ,, to make it functional ,, what did i get from rohee on his decision ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????
a left over from de pnc ,, who was his secretary ,, told me rohee seh dat i muss guh to “go invest” ! consumer tax was some 30% on the cost of the product !… how can a product that is hardly a liability to the govt ,, and depends soley on the sun for it’s use be taxed !???
There is so much potential here. You can have a sting of businesses from this– sun-shades business, sun-screen lotion business, burmuda shorts, bug-spray, etc. because my understnading is the sun has to be very hot for it to work. Oh, yea, don’t forget the cap business or panama hat business. This could the solution to revitalize things.
Rubbish Stone…How SN can allow you with this trash and edit other people’s blog that makes sense and speak the truth????