Wood burning stoves — what are the merits? What demerits?

[local]

Just what I have been banging on about to our resident eco hypocrite.

[The PNP]

A) Surely by the time those trees are mature enough to use for burning, there's an ecosystem formed around them.

B) Shouldn't we just be planting more trees and leave it at that? More trees, less floods, more carbon captured, better support for flora & fauna, surely means better environment?

A) Every time man does something, there's invariably an ecological cost. In the case of dense, fast-growing fir plantations harvested every 40 years in rotation, the ecosystem formed is minimal. Meanwhile, any wildlife that wanders through during the growth phase, e.g. deer, is provided with a safe habitat that otherwise would not have existed.

B) I'm all for more trees, not less. Which is why I like to see bare hillsides planted up by the likes of the Forestry Commission. Yet because of climate change resulting from our fossil-fuelled lifestyles, countless thousands of acres of woodland across the globe go up in flames annually. How much CO2 is released when that happens is anyones guess, but it must be substantial. And then there's the huge choking smoke plumes from those same forest fires that can be seen from space......fossil-fuel users have a lot to answer for.

[Desert Region]

Avoid using wood burning stoves if possible, warn health experts

Charity calls for people to use alternative, less polluting heating and cooking options if they can


Campaigners and health experts are calling on people who have alternative heating not to use their wood burning stoves this winter amid growing concern about their impact on public health.

The Guardian recently reported that wood burners triple the level of harmful particulates inside the home as well as creating dangerous levels of pollution in the surrounding neighbourhood.

Now experts at the Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation Partnership are asking people with wood burners only to use them if they have no alternative source of heat.

“We know that burning wood and coal releases fine particulate matter (PM2.5) – the most worrying form of air pollution for human health,” said Sarah MacFadyen, head of policy at the charity. “It’s therefore important to consider less polluting fuel options to heat your home or cook with, especially if coal or wood is not your primary fuel source.”

Wood burners have become increasingly popular in recent years and, together with coal fires, are estimated to cause almost 40% of outdoor tiny particle pollution as well as creating toxic air inside the home. Almost 16% of people in the south-east of England use wood fuel, and 18% in Northern Ireland, according to 2016 government data, and about 175,000 wood burners are sold annually.

But a growing body of research reveals air pollution may be damaging every organ in the body, with effects including heart and lung disease, diabetes, dementia, reduced intelligence and increased depression. Children and the unborn may suffer the most.

https://www.theguardian.com/environm...health-experts

[The PNP]

a growing body of research reveals air pollution may be damaging every organ in the body, with effects including heart and lung disease, diabetes, dementia, unborn may suffer the most.

Completely agree. It was amazing how pollution levels fell so dramatically during last Springs global lockdown. Shame that those figures bounced back, just as the roads filled again with traffic......

N.B. For anyone who's interested, my personal transport is electric and has been now for some months. I do wonder though, just how many of the people who moan about air pollution, are smugly driving around in an oil-burning car?

http://www.ucsusa.org/resources/cars...-air-pollution

[Desert Region]

Completely agree.....It was amazing how pollution levels fell so dramatically during last Springs global lockdown. Shame that those figures have bounced back, as the roads filled again with traffic.

No surprise that your reply is: cars - cars are bad, cars are worse, etc.

[The PNP]

No surprise that your reply is: cars - cars are bad, cars are worse, etc.

Because oil-burning cars etc, are a major year-round polluter, whereas fires are only lit during Winter months, which limits their effect on air quality....It would be great if everyone switched to running electric vehicles. Or where cost precludes that, to consider cycling where practical.

[Desert Region]

Because oil-burning cars etc, are a major year-round polluter, whereas fires are only lit during Winter months, which limits their effect on air quality....It would be great if everyone switched to running electric vehicles. Or where cost precludes that, to consider cycling where practical.

A slight variation: cars are worse. but electric cars are good, and so is cycling.

Have I posted on a cycling thread, in error?

What was the title of this thread again?

[local]

The simple fact is I have consistently posted the result of scientific research from reputable sources, the lives of children and their lungs is far to important to post eco-drivel.
Promoting pollution causing heaters for profit is not the action of someone who cares for the environment

[The PNP]

A slight variation: cars are worse. but electric cars are good, and so is cycling.

Have I posted on a cycling thread, in error?

What was the title of this thread again?

Your post that I was replying to, had moved on from stoves, to the topic of air pollution......

Imo, removing the biggest polluters first, is the best approach to getting cleaner air. And cars (smoking VW tailpipes and all) are, as far as I'm aware, the single biggest source of that pollution.

[Desert Region]

You're really trying to claim that my post had "moved on" from stoves?

On a thread titled "Wood burning stoves - what are the merits? What demerits?" I added a post with a title that reads: "Avoid using wood burning stoves if possible, warn health experts".

I see you're still talking about cars.

[seivad]

Your post that I was replying to, had moved on from stoves, to the topic of air pollution......

Imo, removing the biggest polluters first, is the best approach to getting cleaner air. And cars (smoking VW tailpipes and all) are, as far as I'm aware, the single biggest source of that pollution.

You need to read about Denmark's experience.

https://www.clean-heat.eu/en/actions...udy-uk-11.html

[silver fox]

Your post that I was replying to, had moved on from stoves, to the topic of air pollution......

Imo, removing the biggest polluters first, is the best approach to getting cleaner air. And cars (smoking VW tailpipes and all) are, as far as I'm aware, the single biggest source of that pollution.

VW got caught using tech to show lower emissions of certain gases, sadly they have now been shown to be not alone, but when it comes to smoking tail pipes suggest you look elsewhere, try elderly Transits for starters, many of them more like a WW2 destroyer.

Must add someone fairly close to me has a wood burner, on quiet days we hear the chainsaw at work, with the wind in the right direction that bloody thing stinks, churns out more crap per minute than my car does in a year.

[local]

Funny you should point out how woodburners are the real pollution problem above even diesels.

Could you imagine anyone who was really concerned about the enviroment flogging dirty stoves out of a dirty van surely they wouldn't?





Why logs are twice as dirty as diesel



particle pollution from UK wood burning is now estimated to be more than double diesel exhaust.


https://www.theguardian.com/environm...pollutionwatch

If the ECO-dunce wants to get this corrected it's from the Guardian again he will have pages and pages to ask them to change.

[The PNP]

You need to read about Denmark's experience.

https://www.clean-heat.eu/en/actions...udy-uk-11.html

Can't see the figures for open fires, which surely should be listed, as they are considerably smokier than say, stoves.

[The PNP]

particle pollution from UK wood burning is now estimated to be more than double diesel exhaust.

Even if that were true, there are several million diesel cars chucking out particles in the UK, all year round. Whereas stoves are comparatvely few and far between, and only ever used seasonally......If you want to start a thread about cutting emissions in the UK, I'd be more than happy to contribute.