The Paradigm Project

Improving lives with better stoves

Name one object that can improve a family's health, be an investment for the future of a community and is environmentally sustainable. Give up? According to the founders of The Paradigm Project, the answer is... a stove. Believe it or not, a device called the Rocket Stove can drastically improve the lives of the billions of people who cook over open fires worldwide.

This clean-burning stove produces up to 50 percent less smoke than a traditional cooking fire. Less smoke means family members have less chance of developing respiratory illnesses, which are often the result of exposure to indoor cooking smoke.

Designed to transfer heat to pots quickly, Rocket Stoves are much more efficient than customary cooking fires. By using these stoves, families can make one bundle of firewood last for two to three weeks, as opposed to two to three days. This results in fewer wood-gathering trips, which often require a full day of walking back and forth in the heat. Less wood gathering means less deforestation in places like Kenya, where more than 100 million trees are cut down annually for fuel.

If The Paradigm Project were like most charities, its members would simply collect donations and pass out free stoves. But the group, launched in 2009, operates with a completely different mentality. Instead of giving stoves away, the group helps to create a local industry that manufactures, sells and distributes the stoves, thereby creating jobs that support the local economy. And, as an added benefit, the locally made stoves sell for about half the price of imported ones. Currently, Paradigm has projects in Kenya, Haiti and Guatemala.

The Paradigm Project wants to create lasting change that's not dependent upon donations. Of course, the money to get this stove-making process running must come from somewhere. That's where The Paradigm Project's creative solution to funding kicks in. Since their stoves cut down on pollution, the group can use their expertise in carbon trading to turn stove sales into carbon credits. These credits carry high value to investors whose companies need help in offsetting their carbon emissions.

The Paradigm Project has set a lofty goal - implementing 5 million stoves in developing countries worldwide by 2020. And thanks to its creative business model, the group just might pull it off.

Grammar Tips:
By using these stove, families can make one bundle of firewood last for two to three weeks, as opposed to two to three days.
"as opposed to" = in contrast to = instead of. - show a big difference between two things.
By using these stoves, families can make one bundle of firewood last for two to three weeks instead of just two to three days.
"as opposed to" -
If you want to travel through the mountains, take the new road as opposed to the old road; it will save you more time.
If I have to wait several ours in an airport, I would go shopping as opposed to sitting in the waiting room.

Vocabulary Tips:
paradigm -范例，典范。（"g" 不发音）good example.
*The owner of the company always put the interest of customers first and which set a paradigm for others to follow.
*The educators are worried that entertainments have set a twisted cultural paradigm for teenagers.
sustainable-can stay for long time.永续性的，保持生态的，不衰竭的。 sustain-支撑，承受
*Many countries developing sustainable energy technology.
*The sustainable income from real estate is what creates his wealth.
customary- usual, more common. 习性上的，惯常的，惯用的，习惯的。custom-special,习俗，惯例，
*Dad arrived home with his customary promptness. 准时。
*In Chinese society, it's customary to give lucky money to newly weds. 新婚夫妇。
drastically - done very quickly and noticeable.
deforestation -砍伐树木（指负面的，对生态不好的， 不是为了生态平衡而伐木）
mentality (n)- the way of thinking about things and the way of doing about things.心理，心态，思维方式
*It's hard to understand the mentality of this brutal dictator.
*Steve's no-pain-no-gain mentality helped him excel in his profession.
thereby-as a result, so, therefore.因此，藉此，从而。
*Homeless people often have no permanent address; thereby it's hard for them to find jobs.
*Frank is the head of this team; thereby he should be responsible for the project.
pull off something - 成功， 成功的办到了。reach to the goal. to be success.
*Olivia pulled off a wonderful birthday party for her son even though she was sick that day.
** if the object is "it",  "it" instead of "something", then place "it" between "pull" and "off",
pull it off.
*Nobody thought this team would win, but they pulled it off.
funding - where to get money, money come from...
kicks in - (kick in) start it. add in.
expertise- people who are specialty in some area with knowledge and experience.
carbon emissions = carbon pollution.
offset - make both sides even, balencing.

Chat Room:
open fire- 开枪，开战，开火。open (v)-打开，掀起。
open fire-生火煮饭。open (adj.)开放，户外式的 burning firewood, burn outside at open air.
The Rocket Stove -
Billions of people who cook over open fires. 在生了火的炉子上煮东西。
open air-开放式的。
campfire-营火 (one word) go camping, make a campfire, not "comping fire".
cook something over an open fire/campfire.
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lofty (adj.) -古北欧语：“天空”，非常高的，高耸的(positive way) 崇高的目标。
lofty goals-
The Paradigm Project has set a lofty goal.
lofty (adj)-高傲的 (negative way)
He spoke to us in a lofty manner.
loft (n)-阁楼，顶楼，仓库或厂房的楼上。small room on the top of the house or an attic where use for storage things.
He lives in a small loft in New York.


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