Green Options

Those of us who don’t live in developing countries might not always remember that the majority of the world still uses biomass-fired cookstoves that produce smoke and other toxins. It’s a serious problem–indoor air pollution kills 1.6 million people yearly. Enter the SCORE (Stove for Cooking, Refrigeration, and Electricity), a $33 cookstove developed by researchers at the University of Nottingham that doubles as an electrical generator.

Being an Australian means a lot to me, but when this story came across my desk, my pride took a bit of a dive. WWF-Australia recently assessed 19 of Australia’s power firms on what each are doing to prepare for a future with lower carbon emissions.

The report, entitled the Power Generators Carbon Future Score Card, was released late last week, and saw 11 companies rate two stars or less out of five, with three companies receiving no stars whatsoever.