Himalayan Stove Project Offers Good Karma Through Carbon Credits

If you've read my blog for awhile now you've probably heard me mention the Himalayan Stove Project on more than one occasion. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to improving the lives of poor families living in Nepal by replacing their old, inefficient, and dangerous cookstoves with new, clean burning versions that are much better for their health and welfare. What I've always loved about the HSP is that while some organizations talk a good game, this one has been making a world of difference for the people that it helps, delivering more than 3500 stoves to those in need.

Now, the Himalayan Stove Project has launched a new intuitive, giving donors the chance to purchase carbon offset credits to help both the environment and future recipients of their stoves at the same time. A new website called CarbonKarma.guru is now selling the credits for just $20, giving individuals and companies the chance to reduce their carbon footprint dramatically, with much of the proceeds going to help the HSP continue its great work in Nepal.

The stoves that the project distributes are made by a company called Envirofit and are said to be 90% more efficient than an open cook fire, which is a common method for preparing meals in many parts of the world. In addition to that, the stoves also use 75% less biomass fuel, which means they are better for our health and the environment in general. Envirofit is the organization that is supplying the Gold Standard carbon credits, which are recognized by more than 80 NGO's operating in 70 countries around the world.

Purchasing carbon credits is a real way to make a difference for the environment, and doing so through CarbonKarma.guru will help the Himalayan Stove Project too. But, if you just want to donate to the HSP, you can do that simply by clicking here. It is a great organization that is doing great things in Nepal, and every bit of assistance helps.

Himalayan Stove Project founder George Basch has set an ambitious goal of donating enough stoves that if they were stacked on top of one another they would reach from Everest Base Camp to the summit of the mountain. At the moment, the organization is about a third of the way towards that goal. To reach the top, the HSP will have to install 10,856 stoves, so more work has yet to be done. Let's help them get there!


Himalayan Stove Project - Help Us Reach the Summit in 2017! from George Basch on Vimeo.

How Ski Mountaineer Kit Deslauriers Came to Support the Himalayan Stove Project

Last fall, ski mountaineer Kit Deslauriers was in Nepal to climb the 8485-meter (27,838 feet) Makalu when she became ill with High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE). Seeking some relief, she descended to Yangri Kharka, a village located at 3657 meters (12,000 feet). While there, a local family took her into their home, allowing her to recover before returning to the mountain. While there, the family shared their food, making several meals a day inside their cramped house. While watching them in the kitchen, Kit noticed that dangerous levels of smoke were created, choking the small space with unhealthy fumes. That left her wondering what could be done to combat this serious issue. 

Recently, Deslauriers shared the details of her story at The North Face Never Stop Exploring blog. In that article she talks about the generosity of the family she came to know so well in Nepal, and how their daily exposure to dangerous smoke moved her to seek an alternate method for preparing their meals. This led her to the Himalayan Stove Project, a nonprofit organization that has been working to achieve that same goal for a number of years now.

As Kit points out in her story, a new clean cook stove and chimney, delivered and installed, costs just $150. In the greater scheme of things, that isn't a lot of money, and she has personally pledged to pay that amount for the five homes in Yangri Kharka that she interacted with directly. She is also calling on friends, fans, and others to help fund the HSP to install 135 more stoves in the Makalu Valley, bringing safe and clean cooking to all of the homes in that region. 

The Himalayan Stove Project is an organization I've written about several times here on The Adventure Blog. That's because I think it is an important foundation that is doing important things for the people of Nepal. The HSP has a proven track record of success in that country, and it is great to see such a high profile athlete as Kit Deslauriers getting behind their efforts. 

Donations to the Himalayan Stove Project Doubled Through Giving Tuesday

I know it may be hard to believe, but the holiday season isn't as far off as we'd like to think it is. With Halloween just a few days off, and Thanksgiving closely rapidly behind it, the busy shopping period will be on us before we know it. But as you gear up for Black Friday and Cyber-Monday, there is another day that follows along closely that you should also keep in mind. That's "Giving Tuesday" which is when we take a step away from all of the consumerism and decide to give a little back to those around us instead. And this year, Giving Tuesday is special for another reason too.

One of my favorite nonprofits is the Himalayan Stove Project, an organization that is replacing old, inefficient, and dangerous cookstoves in Nepal with clean burning, healthier models. Over the past few years, the HSP has distributed and installed more than 3000 stoves, impacting the lives of thousands of people as a result. Many of the families that have received these stoves have seen their lives transformed. The air in their homes is cleaner than ever, and they can now enjoy a meal indoors together, often for the very first time. In short, the Himalayan Stove Project is having a direct, and measurable, impact on the quality of life for the people that it helps, which is something I appreciate and admire greatly.

Heading into the holidays we can all do something to help the HSP and see our contributions to the program stretch even further. Between now and Giving Tuesday – November 29, 2016 – all donations to the project will automatically be doubled thanks to a generous anonymous supporter. That means that if you give $50, the HSP will receive $100. No donation, no matter how big or small, is exempt, which makes this the perfect time to contribute to the cause.

I personally love what the Himalayan Stove Project does for a number of personal reasons. The fact that the not-for-profit is having such a dramatic effect on the lives of the people it helps is inspiring to say the least. There are a lot of other foundations like this one that aspire to help people in the developing parts of the world, but they often struggle to actually deliver on their promise. That isn't so with the HSP, which has done a wonderful job of staying focused on its mission.

The other reason I'm a fan of the Himalayan Stove Project is that it is helping people who live in Nepal, a country that I dearly love. It is easily one of the most beautiful places I've ever been, and the people there are incredibly warm and generous, despite the fact that they often have little of their own. It is a place that has left its mark on everyone that has visited it, and it is understandable why those of us who have been there would like to have a positive impact on their lives.

If you're looking for a great charity to contribute to this year, the Himalayan Stove Project is a fantastic option. Take a look at the HSP website to learn more, and click here to donate to the cause. Remember, anything you give between now and November 29 will be doubled.