Kerosene lamps emit 230 million tons of CO2 into the air each year [Solar Aid Impact Report Autumn, 2014].  It is a dominant contributor to climate change, accounting for around 60 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions [United Nations, 2019]. 

One kerosene lamp alone emits up to 200kg of CO2 a year. Kerosene lamps also emit black carbon — the second-largest climate warmer after CO2 [UNEP].

Watts of Love has the power to reduce the number of harmful toxins being emitted into the environment by providing solar lamps to households that rely on kerosene for lighting. Solar lighting provides an excellent opportunity for the reduction of greenhouse gasses through substituting kerosene for lighting [Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2018].

Watts of Love targets the most vulnerable and forgotten members of impoverished communities. Many people feel hopeless and unimportant. 

Watts of Love intentionally seeks to empower women in communities where they are marginalized and overlooked. Many elderly individuals without means have been abandoned by their families to provide for themselves. 

Light provides feelings of self-worth and independence by giving families the power to lift themselves out of the darkness of poverty. Individuals no longer have to depend on other programs or sponsorships for support. Watts of Love empowers women by giving them a gift to care for their families.

Globally, nearly 3 billion people, half of the world’s population, live on $2.50 per day. These people are considered energy poor because they spend 15 percent of their household income on energy services like kerosene [Ashgate Studies in Environmental Policy and Practice, 2012]. 

Families living below the ultra-poverty line spend up to 30 percent of their household income on kerosene. Comparatively, that is equivalent to the amount an average American would spend on their mortgage. However, instead of investing in a home, people who rely on kerosene are spending their money on an energy source that is ineffective, expensive, and dangerous. 

Access to solar lighting eliminates the need to purchase kerosene.  Instead, recipients can save the money they would have otherwise spent purchasing other forms of lighting. Over time, they can reinvest their fuel savings to buy an animal, start a business, or send children to school. Receiving a Watts of Love light makes an immediate measurable impact on the lives of the people we serve, increasing household income by as much as 30%.

Indoor air pollution contributes to 1 out of every 14 deaths in the developing world and kerosene ingestion is the leading cause of childhood poisonings [Energy for Sustainable Development, 2016]. 

Watts of Love provides a safe source of lighting to families, eliminating other sources of toxic pollution like kerosene. It impacts everything from breath and vision to burns and upper respiratory illnesses and cancers.

Open flames in a home increase the risk of burns, injuries, and fires.

“More women are severely burned by kerosene-related accidents each year than are diagnosed with HIV and TB combined.” [United Nations Foundation, 2012]: kerosene indigestion is the leading cause of childhood poisonings [Energy for Sustainable Development, 2016].

Watts of Love provides an efficient and effective light that reduces the dangers of darkness and gives individuals a sense of security. Our lamps prevent accidents caused by open flame, eliminating the risk of burns, injury, and fire.

Without access to electricity, productivity is limited to daylight hours. Darkness eliminates the possibility for individuals to study or read after the sun goes down. Operation business hours are reduced, decreasing the potential for income. 

Many people living in poverty have little concept of financial literacy, with 63 percent of the world’s 750 million illiterate adults, being women [Gates Foundation, 2019]. 

Having access to solar light extends the working day, enabling businesses to stay open after dark and lengthening hours to study and learn. Watts of Love teaches individuals to use a financial literacy model where savings become earnings.