Solar Box Cookers Barbara Kerr The Solar Box Cooker is a design at this time focused almost entirely on home built, low cost, low skill cookers that can be pulled together from materials often available within the home in the U.S. or surely within the closest shopping center. Although they reach 275¡F. to 300¡F. in full sun, solar box cookers look deceptively simple when placed next to some of the other solar cooking equipment. Yet they can cook 10 to 15 pounds of food on a sunny day; on semicloudy days, they continue to function at reduced temperatures on as little as 15 minutes of sun per hour or equivalent partial cloud cover. They require minimal attention often not needing focussing for an entire cooking period. They have capacity for three or four pots which allows menus with the customary variety of meats, root vegetables, grains, breads or deserts to be prepared simultaneously. Solar Box Cookers are large insulated boxes with one reflector. The heavy ones are resistant to wind and can stay "on their feet" in the face of gusts that topple the wind scoop designs. This is important in many places in the world. The light ones are very portable, weighing 10 to 20 pounds and handling like a large, light suitcase. They are regular box shapes when closed so they carry, stack, ship and store conveniently. There are three SBC oriented cook books.1 Dr. Robert Metcalf of California State University at Sacramento2 has tirelessly demonstrated and talked about and gratefully used SBCs for the past 12 years. He probably has logged more miles and certainly made more contacts and given more SBC demonstrations than anyone in the world. As a volunteer he has put on solarques of wide ranging menus for 50 to 60 people at a time, repeatedly cooking for mass events. Professor Metcalf and Dave Ciochetti, one of his graduate microbiology students at CSUS, published the results of their scientific study of pasteurization by means of solar box cookers.3 He, along with many other supporters, have joined together to form Solar Box Cookers International4 because they believe this simple solar box concept will have multiple impacts on major global problems including making reforestation projects more successful, as well as providing safe food and safe water and freeing time and strength now devoted to gathering firewood and tending cooking fires. This assessment was reinforced by a recent special article in Christian Science Monitor.5 As well as in the Official Magapaper of the Filipino- American Society of Architects and Engineers.6 Both the Deptartment of Energy and the State of Arizona have been given awards in recognition of the value of solar box cookers. The Department of Agriculture provided a grant that made possible a video on SBCs called "Four Square Feet of Sunshine," which is available for rent or purchase from SBCI. Fred Barrett of DOA-AID has been responsible for development of a device to be reused indefinitely that will tell if water has reached pasteurization temperatures, allowing water as well as food to be processed even if the "cook" is away from the SBC until after dark. At least one very good-looking version of a solar box cooker using redwood, King-Lux reflectors and tempered plate glass is available commerically.7 However, for the bulk of the people in need of solar cookers, sheet metal and tempered glass are out of reach. And local skills usually do not cover the sheet metal work needed for many other designs. There are teaching models, kits, and light-weight SBCs available commerically, prepared out of corrugated cardboard. There are durable wooden versions of two designs. And there are plans for home building.8 The commerical field for SBCs appears to rather limited. Currently the major thrust is to use extremely low resources, mainly cardboard, non- toxic glue and paint, aluminum foil, single strength window glass, and silicon sealant. Even with these "non-durable" materials we have SBCs that have been in use for 10 years or more with only occasional maintenance. The major field for this design is where resources for cooking are rapidly becoming either too scarce or too expensive for many people. Solar Box Cookers International has been very successful using one-day workshops to teach people with little or no building experience to make and use this form of solar cooker. They are being made of local materials in Guatamala, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Djibouti, South Africa, Senegal and elsewhere. And they are teaching their neighbors and relatives how to make theirs. They are being made in the U.S. and Canada. It is gratifying to see that SBCs are beginning to interest volunteer organizations in this country who care for the poverty stricken and homeless. Since it is very important if an organization is donating food to be sure it can be safely and inexpensively cooked, it fits into the guidelines for assiting people to help themselves and to learn techniques fostering renewed independence along with food relief. In setting up workshops in an area, it is customary to work through a local private charity or non-commerical base organization; one familiar with the language and culture as well as stable in the area with local staff. In Bolivia it was Food for the Hungry and Pillsbury Company's Nutrition Project. In Guatamala it was Foster Parents International and Pillsbury Company. In Djibouti it was the UN-FAO and the Djibouti government. In Sierra Leone it will probably be DOA-AID. In other locations it has been church organizations and private individuals. The base volunteer organization provides a focal point for preworkshop publicity and acts as an on-going source of information. Sometimes it provides supplies a person cannot otherwise obtain. They also make local arrangements for food and lodging and provide transportation and a counterpart (cultural representative and translator) for the workshop) for the workshop team. The goal of SBCI and other solar box cookers advocates is that every adult in the world (almost) should know how to make their own SBC just as they know how to make a cooking fire if necessary. They are spreading this information as quickly as possible to help stop global environmental degradation. To this end, they have prepared many teaching tools and workshop materials so individuals can quickly prepare themselves to tell others effectively. Many menbers schedule SBC workshops into vaction plans thus combining travel, very intimate contact with people, and this good work into an exciting package. Training on giving workshops is given frequently by SBCI. As you may have guessed, they are always looking for new members and for donations to expand their work. I am looking forward to the 7th Annual Tucson Solar Potluck next Spring. Circumstances permititng, I will surely be there to meet old and new friends. I will bring a few of these designs and some wonderful photos of them in use around the world. Be sure to let me know when it will be held. Barbara Kerr REFERENCES: 1) Cookbooks: ELEANOR'S SOLAR COOKBOOK, Eleanor Shimeall. Cemese Publishers, 7028 Leesburg Place, Stockton, CA 95207. 1983. FAVORITE RECIPES FROM SOLAR COOKS, Sacramento Municipal Utility District. Available through SBCI. 9183. SOLAR COOKING NATURALLY, Virginia Heather Gurley. Sun Life Energy, 200 Wild Flower Circle, Sedona, AZ 86336. 1983. 2) Robert Metcalf, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, CSUS, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95819-2694. 3) "Pasteurization of Naturally Contaminated Water with Solar Energy," Davis A. Ciochetti and Robert Metcalf. APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Feb. 1984, pp. 223-228. 4) SOLAR BOX COOKERS INTERNATIONAL, 1823 11th Street, Sacramento, CA 95314. 916-447-8691. 5) THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, October 27, 1988, pp.21-22. 6) "FASAE Members Introduce Solar Cooker in Third World", FASAE Newzine, January, 1988. 7) Thomas Peter Perotte, M.D., Spotlight Marketing, Inc. 2805 Missouri Avenue, Joplin, MO 64801. 8) Kerr Enterprises, Inc. POB 27417, Tempe, AZ 85282.