The Problem: Cooking with Wood in Mexico
In Mexico, approximately 28 million people still cook with wood on open fires. This traditional practice has a high cost: chronic respiratory diseases, cataracts, burns, and even premature deaths. Eduardo Ramírez, operations director of ECOLIFE Mexico, explains: “When you’re in a fire and the smoke hits you directly, you move away immediately. In rural communities, women can’t do that. They spend up to four hours a day breathing in smoke inside their homes.”
The Solution: The Patsari Eco-Friendly Stove
The response has been the Patsari stove, whose name in Purépecha means “the one that takes care.” Designed by the GIRA association, it maximizes wood’s energy through an internal tunnel system that concentrates heat on three comals. This reduces over 90% of smoke exposure, saves up to 50% of wood, and decreases 40% of polluting emissions. Moreover, it was designed for corn tortilla cooking, ensuring its adoption in regions where corn-based cooking is central to daily life.
Transformative Stories
Behind each stove is a story of transformation, like that of Teresa, from Tuxpan. After losing her husband, she started cooking on a Patsari. The stove not only improved her health and home cleanliness but also allowed her to open her own tortilla business. “More than beneficiaries, they are collaborators,” Ramírez asserts. “They open their homes to us, and together we fight against climate change.”
The benefits extend beyond respiratory health. The Patsari reduces risks of burns and fires, prevents cataracts, and restores dignity to cooking. Before, no one wanted to enter a smoke-filled room; now, the kitchen becomes a family gathering place again. “The Patsari dignifies life,” Ramírez notes. “Women can cook without fear, share with their families, and even leave the house without the lingering smoke smell.”
Protecting Monarch Butterflies and Forests
The project originated in the Monarch Butterfly Reserve, Michoacán, where an open fire can consume up to 24 kilos of wood daily—almost eight tons annually. Each Patsari installed saves 5.6 tons of wood and 5.2 tons of CO₂ per year.
With international Gold Standard certification, the program enables carbon credit generation that individuals and businesses use to offset their environmental footprint while supporting Mexican families.
By July 2025, ECOLIFE Mexico had installed 16,001 Patsari stoves in Michoacán, the State of Mexico, and Querétaro. The goal is to reach 37,000 in the coming years. To achieve this, they need funding, partnerships with local governments, and logistical support. “Our motto is simple yet powerful: saving lives, saving ecosystems,” Ramírez summarizes.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the issue with cooking in Mexico? Approximately 28 million people in Mexico still cook with wood on open fires, leading to severe health issues like chronic respiratory diseases and premature deaths.
- How does the Patsari stove help? The Patsari eco-friendly stove reduces smoke exposure by 90%, saves up to 50% of wood, and decreases polluting emissions by 40%. It is specifically designed for corn tortilla cooking, ensuring its adoption in regions where corn-based cooking is central to daily life.
- What impact does the Patsari stove have on women and families? The Patsari stove improves women’s health, home cleanliness, and economic opportunities. It also restores dignity to cooking, making the kitchen a family gathering place again.
- How does this project protect forests and the environment? The Patsari stove saves 5.6 tons of wood and 5.2 tons of CO₂ annually. With international Gold Standard certification, the program enables carbon credit generation, helping individuals and businesses offset their environmental footprint while supporting Mexican families.
- What are the project’s goals and challenges? ECOLIFE Mexico aims to install 37,000 Patsari stoves in the coming years. They need funding, local government partnerships, and logistical support to achieve this goal.
