Fridge for the Poor
This technology has been featured on AIDG, the Rolex Awards, and Treehugger.
"The pot-in-pot consists of two earthenware pots of different diameters, one placed inside the other. The space between the two pots is filled with wet sand that is kept constantly moist, thereby keeping both pots damp. Fruit, vegetables and other items such as soft drinks are put in the smaller inner pot, which is covered with a damp cloth. The phenomenon that occurs is based on a simple principle of physics: the water contained in the sand between the two pots evaporates towards the outer surface of the larger pot where the drier outside air is circulating. By virtue of the laws of thermodynamics, the evaporation process automatically causes a drop in temperature of several degrees, cooling the inner container, destroying harmful micro-organisms and preserving the perishable foods inside."
Brillant design. Simple. Affordable for the poor. Impact of Health and Malnutrition. Job Creation. As of 2005 the inventor had delivered over 90,000 pots. How many more places around the world can benefit from this product? How can we get it to them?
1 comment:
David, I believe this pot in pot idea is actually a very old concept in sub-Saharan Africa. I am not sure where they were doing this in the example you cited, but it might be a great example of how some BOP technology that is part of traditional culture in one region can be repackaged and resold in another place.
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