Join the challenge…
…to provide people in need with hot and safe drinking water.
Solvatten’s climate project in Tharaka-Nithi, Kenya
400,000 people live in the province of Tharaka in Kenya, of which 70 percent are without access to safe water at home. This means that the majority of the population is dependent on firewood, charcoal and fossil fuels to boil water for drinking, hygiene and cooking.
This is both time consuming and expensive for families living on scarce resources. It also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation.
To reduce emissions and deforestation and to strengthen local resilience while improving families’ health and socio-economic conditions, Solvatten started this project in Tharaka-Nithi County, Kenya, 2017. So far more than 40,000 people been supported with Solvatten heaters.
In August 2021 ESRAG and WASH decided to collaborate and to become engaged in the Solvatten climate project. Rotary clubs and Districts can make great impact and contribute to sustainable development; environmentally, socially and economically, by joining this climate project. One Solvatten heater contribute to all Rotary’s 7 areas of focus as seen in the picture.
Solar Safe Water initiative – how to join?
The Solar Safe Water initiative offers an easy and convenient way for Rotary clubs and districts to create lasting sustainable development. In fact, the initiative support all Rotary’s 7 areas of focus.
By donating $145, one family will receive one Solvatten heater, and thereby, 5-6 persons get access to hot and safe water for 7-10 years of it’s lifetime. Girls can go to school, local economy improves, trees are saved and greenhouse gas emissions are avoided as shown in the above picture and in the video.
Rotary clubs around the world have already supported many families in the Tharaka-Nithi project with an impressive impact. The need is huge, so all contributions are welcome.
Carbon compensation by contributing to Solvatten’s climate project in Tharaka-Nithi
Most important is of course to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) as a first priority. But, before we reach our reduction goals, one way to reach climate neutrality is to compensate for actual emission using credible and fact-based projects that create real and lasting effects. Many projects have been criticized for not creating lasting or documented reduction in GHG emissions.
Here, Solvatten will play an important role with its newly certified climate projects in Kenya, according to Gold Standard. Solvatten’s climate projects are about providing people in need with hot and safe water using an award-winning innovation for water treatment that only uses the sun as an energy source. With this innovative solution, energy sources for water treatment such as wood, charcoal and fossil fuels, will therefor decrease in favor to clean energy. Trees will no longer be cut down as firewood which leads to reduced deforestation and benefits for biodiversity. Perhaps, most importantly, no land needs to be claimed for tree planting, which often leads to conflicts with the local population and farmers.
The new tightened rules for certification according to the Gold Standard, guarantee that the projects are continuously documented and that the real effects are achieved. In addition to reduced emissions of greenhouse gases, Solvatten project actively contributes to sustainable development according to Agenda 2030. As part of the certificate, 7 sdg´s are included; namely numbers 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 13 and 15. All 7 sdg’s are as well documented as the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Calculate carbon emissions and compensate with the Gold Standard climate project in
Tharaka-Nithi
Combined with any CO2 reduction plan, investing in climate compensation projects is a proven and useful way to limit global warming and become climate neutral. Compensating for your personal emissions, you contribute to combat global climate change much faster.
With the Tharaka-Nithi Gold Standard certified climate project you can trust that your compensation investment really result in long lasting reductions of emissions. The certification ensure that the project is vertified by a standard, and that real carbon reduction that can be traced with supporting data. Solvatten manage such projects verified through Gold Standard, both in Uganda and in Kenya.
Exampels of areas to compensate:
- Club activities
- Air travels
- Individual emissions
- Climate compensations (off-sets) for businesses (contact us under Take Action)
One Solvatten heater avoid 7 tons of CO2 to a cost of $145, which means $21 per ton of CO2.
Step 1.
Calculate your carbon emissions
Compensate for your personal emissions
Use WWF’s footprint calculator (or similar) to calculate your personal emissions. Such as transportation, heat and electricity, food and shopping.
Compensate Flight Carbon Emissions
Calculate your specific flight travel emissions with ICAO Carbon emission calculator. Or, make an easy estimate with Travel & Climate.
Compensate for your club emissions ECCF
Become a climate friendly Rotary Club by compensating for club activities. An average club emitts 10-15 ton of CO2 per year. Use this number or calculate a more precise number.
Step 2.
Calculate the investment required to offset your carbon emissions through Solvatten’s certified climate projects.
Calculate investment here:
- Use the result from your emission calculations in tons.
- One (1) Solvatten avoid 7 tons of carbon emissions.
- The price for one (1) Solvatten heater: $145.
- Compensation investment = tons emissions * $145 / 7 tons
Step 3.
Complete by making the payment here.:
Example 1: Personal footprint compensation
WWF’s footprint calculator gave a lifestyle result of 6,3 tons per year.
Carbon compensation = 6,3 tons * $145 / 7 tons = $130 per year.
Example 2: Air travel compensation
Stockholm (ARN) to Chicago (ORD), (1 person, round trip) results in 0,724 tons of carbon emissions according to the calculator. Due to the high-altitude effect for long distance flights (over 3,000 km), the emissions doubles (by a factor 2).
Carbon compensation investment = 0,72 tons * 2 * $145 / 7 tons = $30
Example 3: Club activities compensation
Club activities calculations resulted in 11,8 tons emissions per year.
Compensation investment = 11,8 * $145 / 7 = $244
Start your own Solvatten climate project
Solvatten’s climate project is a powerful tool for driving sustainable development. In addition to reduced emissions of greenhouse gases and reduced deforestation, the project fosters improved health, promote gender equality and girl’s education, as well as economic development within both the household and local community. It supports all Rotary’s 7 areas of focus, has a clear YES on all four-way test questions, and promote collaboration on several levels.
This makes Solvatten’s climate project perfect for a Rotary club or a District to manage in a local community of your choice. You can just copy the way Solvatten manage their projects to start your own.
The conditions for managing your own project can vary significantly from one country to another. Therefore, we highly recommend reaching out to us for an initial discussion to assess the feasibility of your proposed project.
Solvatten’s projects in Kenya are all Gold Standard certified which ensures that the projects are evidence-based and credible according to 7 sdg’s in Agenda 2030, number 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 13 and 15. Reduced emissions can be used for certified carbon compensation.
