Light a Fire

It’s sobering, in a culture where folks turn to the grill for recreational purposes, to realize that at least half the world’s population still cooks over an open fire every day because it’s all they’ve got. That’s at least three billion people still gathering sticks or breathing in coal smoke daily, adding to more rapid deforestation and health problems, when the lack of a better stove might be the only thing stopping them from more efficiently cooking their meals. In response, and in the spirit of the ongoing environmental design exhibit Design for the Other 90% at RedLine, Denver’s Group14 Engineering is teaming up with the gallery to host an efficient-stove design contest, Cooking for the Other 90%. The purpose? To build a better, less wasteful, low-cost stove with good portability and better ventilation. Yep. That’s harder than you’d think.

About ten contestants will test their stoves today at RedLine, 2350 Arapahoe Street, using wood, charcoal or the fuel of their choice; the winner gets no prize, though there is the distant possibility that their invention might eventually help some of the aforementioned three billion citizens of the world. Is there something specific they’ll be cooking? “Yes,” says Lauren Graham of Group14. “They will try to boil and make rice.” Maybe you can have a spoonful.

See what these intrepid stove-makers have cooked up from 3 to 5 p.m.; for information on this and other events in conjunction with the ongoing exhibit, call 303-296-4448 or visit http://design90denver.org.

Sat., Aug. 27, 3-5 p.m., 2011