Rotary presents a self-sustaining project combining solar energy and micro-enterprise to provide solutions to the problems of deforestation and global warming through economic empowerment.
The Problem
Ever since man discovered fire, he began to change the ecology of the world. The industrial age saw tremendous strides in the consumption of wood and other fossil fuels, leading to pollution on a worldwide scale and to depletion of valuable natural resources.
The demands of massive population growth and the inefficient conversion of wood to charcoal have outstripped the third world forest's ability to regenerate. The ecological effect of wood fuels is burdensome and has a far-reaching negative global impact.
These global trends will surely lead to environmental destabilization in two major
ways:
De-forestation
Global warming
Science strongly supports the fact that deforestation for agricultural and fuel use is changing weather patterns, causing soil erosion and depleting plant and animal life. It is predicted the wide-spread suffering will occur, including forced migration, crop failures, famine, destructive weather patterns and economic mayhem.
No one on earth will be spared from these events, but those groups with the least resources and ability to respond will suffer the most.
The Solution
The Temple Solar Project is a district level program established in November of 1997 in memory of our Past District Governor William Temple ('94-'95)
During 1998, this committee is working to develop and fund 10 micro-bakeries in the Central American nation of Honduras, until they can become self-sufficient and operate independently. These 10 sites will be operated by co-ops, which will be established to demonstrate that self-sustaining micro-enterprise is the way to solve one of the most serious problems facing the world today.
Using the non-polluting energy of the sun along with basic business principles, forests can be spared and people can be empowered to raise their standard of living.
By December 31, 2000, the Temple Solar Project will establish 200 micro-bakeries in Honduras.
Smoke from cooking fires is the leading cause of infectious lung afflictions among young children leading to the death of over five million children in the third world each year.
Hondurans cook their food with wood or charcoal fires. As forests are eliminated, villagers have to travel great distances to find wood. This often takes half of their day or requires that they spend half of their household income for cooking fuel.
Over the next three years, Rotarians will make a real difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of Honduran villagers. Over the next decade, we will make a difference in the lives of all of mankind.
The benefits of this project are to:
Provide a source of safe sustainable
energy. Prevent deforestation from
creating irreparable ecological destruction.
Provide nutritional, inexpensive
food for local citizens.
Establish self-sustaining
micro-bakeries.
Provide employment and a stable income
for 13-18 people per bakery.
Improve the quality of life.
Aid villages with community development
through micro-enterprise and economic empowerment.
Allow women to stay in their native
villages rather than relocate to the cities to find employment.
A well-known proverb states, "Feed a starving man a fish and you've nourished him for a day. Teach him to fish and he can feed himself for a lifetime."
The Temple Solar Project goal is to teach people how to empower themselves through the establishment of self-sustaining micro-bakeries, and to help hungry men develop "fishing" industries so they cannot only feed themselves, but their families and community as well.
Empowering the less fortunate through micro-enterprise offers the greatest potential to alleviate poverty and enhance the quality of life for generations to come.
Solar cooking can have an enormous impact on the everyday life of millions of people in underdeveloped countries.
The Temple Solar Project will:
Reduce the demand on the forest Reduce global warming
Curtail infectious lung afflications
Create jobs
Provide new opportunities for
communities to grow and prosper.
Our challenge is to make these micro-bakeries available, along with the training and expertise, to the villages that need them.
You can help by supporting The Temple Solar Project. Get involved! Adopt a village and make a difference!
If you would like to become involved in the The Temple Solar Project, contact:
The Temple Solar Project
c/o Terrence L. Bartolini, D.D.S, Chairperson District 6450
4445 W. 95th Street, Oak Lawn, IL 60453-4983
Phone (708) 425-7474, Fax (708)425-7661
e-mail: ultsmile@visioni.com