First of all, even people with easy access to electricity are beginning to use outdoor solar cooking during the summer months. The benefit of this method is that it does not require electricity, and by cooking outdoors, you do not heat up the house. Green companies offer solar ovens for purchase, but one can be fashioned easily from household materials. One method is to paint a cardboard box black so that it absorbs the sun's heat more efficiently. Inside this box, place a smaller box (without a lid) that has been covered with aluminum foil. Cushion the smaller box with some towels around the sides to keep in the heat. Lean a mirror on one of the sides of the smaller box so that it catches the sun's rays. When you are ready to cook, place your food in an iron pan and put it in the box. Then, cover the box with a piece of glass. This method makes cooking a bit slower, but it doesn't require electricity