My friend, NJ, raised a good point the other day about poorer countries using cheaper energy. It is true that it will be difficult to convince nations with low per capita incomes, like India, to spend money on cleaner power, even if in the end, this is the only sustainable option. However, there are situations where clean power is not only increasingly accessible to poorer nations but also, cheaper to use than fossil fuels. One case in point is a solar-powered oven that I read about recently. The inventor of this device, who I believe is based in Illinois, has tried to make these ovens more available to third world nations. In some of these countries, kerosene has been used to cook, which not only costs people money but also, creates a great deal of air pollution. In India, only recently has kerosene been targeted, as some of the vehicles even used it in the past as fuel. I believe the solar ovens can reach 400 degrees, which is more than hot enough to cook most foods. Once these ovens are purchased, they can run indefinitely using the sun, and therefore, they will at some point pay for themselves. As I recall, the ovens cost about $500.00, which is pricey for someone making only $50.00 a month. Yet, over time, the ovens would use free power and create a healthier lifestyle for the families doing the cooking (as well as those in the area previously breathing all of the kerosene-laden air). Perhaps the solar oven is a small start, yet in my opinion, we could really make a difference in the less-developed world by contributing these devices to families there, as part of any foreign aid package. Perhaps if the individuals in these hot and sunny nations, like India, experience the advantages of solar power first-hand, their leaders will see how alternative energy can be a boost to their countries' welfare. If the wealthier nations can market other goods, such as cars and electronics, to developing nations, shouldn't alternative energy products be part of that portfolio?