Twenty years ago Tucson resident Sonya Norman heard about solar ovens, she started using one a few years later when her father gave it to her as a Christmas gift. Norman, who is the Public Program Coordinator at Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, says she likes the idea of using natural energy for her cooking, especially in the warmer months when she doesn’t have to increase the heat in her house while preparing meals. While still considered an oddity by some people, Norman says these devices can be very effective and she’s able to make delicious dishes that include beans, stews, chicken, sauteed vegetables, and cakes. Since she started using her oven, the word has spread, and neighbor Joe Black has also joined the growing number of solar cooks. We also visit the annual solar potluck event organized by Solar Guild / Citizens for Solar at Catalina State Park on April 1, 2023. The yearly gathering resumed this year after a two-year absence due to the covid pandemic.
Producer: Tony Paniagua
Videographers: Diana Cadena, Jandro Davalos
Editor: Diana Cadena
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