Wood burners in the news

[William_Montgomery]

Of course people can have an opinion but those who want to prevent poor working people using sustainable, affordable heating should take a look at their own environmental footprints first.

This does seem to be one of the main problems. There is something much more appealing about people who lead by example and generally keep shtum, than those who demand more legislation and restrictions over others lives.
The people I know who actually live a lifestyle that is more in harmony with their environment tend not to go on about it. The ones who do like to talk about it can often be seen driving their electric cars to the local shop, a ten minute walk away.

 

[Toddy]

Everyone has an 'environmental footprint', but often it's only a noticeable issue when one lives close to others.

Rural vs Urban is always going to be an air quality/ pollution difference, and in an urban situation where air quality is closely shared, then wood burners are a cause of significant particulate pollution.

Which is why we're at the state of play that we are.

We have pretty much banned burning coal in the UK. You can still get it, but it's now expensive, hard to get outside of some areas, totally verbotten unless 'smokeless' in most towns.

I don't think the issue is going to go away. I think more and more we're aware of the damage we're doing to the environment, it behoves us all to be aware of our energy usage, and despite that there are truly some very able, very sound people advocating for their use, I don't think that wood burners are truly tenable in an urban situation.

We'll see what we see, but it's not 'poor folk' who're buying and installing woodburners in the urbs. For most it was a fashion, an ideal that they can't really live to.

M

 

[bearbait]

I'm sure that some politician will come up with the idea of Emission Zones for wood burning stoves, so you pay an annual licence fee according to how polluting your stove is. (Of which most of the revenue will go in to management of the system and little into green or renewable projects.)

 

[1 pot hunter]

Hi everyone. There have been many articles recently (in the guardian at least) on wood burner pollution.

I'm interested to know what people's thoughts are on this. Are pollution concerns justified? I have no problem with discussions on pollution in the media, but I can't help thinking the issue is descending into class war and politics, and associated click bait articles in the media.

There's also the difference between those who need a burner as main source of heating etc., and those who have them for asthetic reasons. Personally I think there's nothing wrong with the latter. We all value asthetics in our own personal ways. I'm interested to know people's thoughts and opinions on all this.

It’s another case off goverment hating any form off self sufficiency they want us paying thru nose for abs everything.

 

[Toddy]

"No man is an island", etc.,

 

[Paul_B]

Off grid living isn't the issue here it's on grid living with woodburners. Most are in this latter category. As to the first category perhaps we do need a better alternative too. As someone said we all have a pollution footprint and it's always good to try and reduce that if you can.

BTW can poor, working people even afford to put in woodburners these days?

Our neighbour moved in with new family and put one in. He installed it with his brother who works at a stove installers and retailer. They then paid mate's rates to get n it aimed off. Cost him a few hundred for materials and a secondhand or other source of a very cheap stove I think. He of course had contacts and resources most don't to get it. He also has his own source of wood from the place he works or his own land. He works as a groundsman and has a parcel of land for sheep, hens and woodland. Plus a large shed or barn for storage and drying wood for a few years.

 

[British Red]

Off grid living isn't the issue here it's on grid living with woodburners. Most are in this latter category.

Perhaps. Is their short term pollution worse than the long term environmental climate change caused by flights for holidays? Or driving cars? Or gas fired central heating come to that?

Surely if we are going to ban things for health and environmental reasons we should ban all holiday flights (the upper atmosphere emissions do horrendous damage), limit peoples use of electric & gas fired heating and certainly put a stop to silly out of season food stuffs.

Picking on one thing whilst ignoring others seems more like a personal grudge than even handed legislation

 

[1 pot hunter]

Perhaps. Is their short term pollution worse than the long term environmental climate change caused by flights for holidays? Or driving cars? Or gas fired central heating come to that?

Surely if we are going to ban things for health and environmental reasons we should ban all holiday flights (the upper atmosphere emissions do horrendous damage), limit peoples use of electric & gas fired heating and certainly put a stop to silly out of season food stuffs.

Picking on one thing whilst ignoring others seems more like a personal grudge than even handed legislation

Let’s ban smoking cigs to just for fun

 

[nigelp]

Perhaps. Is their short term pollution worse than the long term environmental climate change caused by flights for holidays? Or driving cars? Or gas fired central heating come to that?

Surely if we are going to ban things for health and environmental reasons we should ban all holiday flights (the upper atmosphere emissions do horrendous damage), limit peoples use of electric & gas fired heating and certainly put a stop to silly out of season food stuffs.

Picking on one thing whilst ignoring others seems more like a personal grudge than even handed legislation

Playing devils advocate. It is the particulates that causes most concern from wood burning stoves; most are a lifestyle choice and in urban, or semi-urban areas cause direct damage to people’s lungs etc rather than the environment per se.

 

[British Red]

Let’s ban smoking cigs to just for fun

It's hard to argue with the health logic of that. Equally it's difficult to argue with banning alcohol. No-one needs alcohol, it's a factor in the majority of violent crime and causes death and injury to innocent parties whilst putting an enormous strain on the NHS. Banning alcohol would probably help far more people than banning wood burners.

 

[British Red]

Playing devils advocate. It is the particulates that causes most concern from wood burning stoves; most are a lifestyle choice and in urban, or semi-urban areas cause direct damage to people’s lungs etc rather than the environment per se.

And it's the CO2 in the upper atmosphere from holiday flights that directly contributing to anthropogenic global warming.

The heatwave last year is estimated to have killed 3,000 people in the UK

Statement – Climate change is already killing us, but strong action now can prevent more deaths

November is a crucial month for climate change and health. Representatives and negotiators from all over the world are gathering in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) to build on prior agreements to urgently reduce greenhouse gas emissions...

www.who.int

International holidays are also a lifestyle choice and also killing people. Sure they aren't the only cause of CO2 just as wood burners aren't the only source of particulates, but if we are banning lifestyle choices because of their negative health impacts on others, surely we should start with the big problems?

 

[Stew]

We should ban bitcoin before we ban wood burners.

 

[Kadushu]

Since we all have a pollution footprint, why not ban humans and be done with it?

 

[nigelp]

And it's the CO2 in the upper atmosphere from holiday flights that directly contributing to anthropogenic global warming.

The heatwave last year is estimated to have killed 3,000 people in the UK

Statement – Climate change is already killing us, but strong action now can prevent more deaths

November is a crucial month for climate change and health. Representatives and negotiators from all over the world are gathering in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) to build on prior agreements to urgently reduce greenhouse gas emissions...

www.who.int

International holidays are also a lifestyle choice and also killing people. Sure they aren't the only cause of CO2 just as wood burners aren't the only source of particulates, but if we are banning lifestyle choices because of their negative health impacts on others, surely we should start with the big problems?

Wood burning is providing the particulates at ‘ground’ level where people are breathing them in and getting respiratory problems.
I’m not disagreeing with you but pointing out why they want them banned - and it’s not because of the wider issues of climate change but something more directly related day to day heath.

 

[British Red]

Wood burning is providing the particulates at ‘ground’ level where people are breathing them in and getting respiratory problems.
I’m not disagreeing with you but pointing out why they want them banned - and it’s not because of the wider issues of climate change but something more directly related day to day heath.

Climate change is killing far more people far more frequently - in this country. People who want to see things banned "for health reasons" should accept that things they enjoy which hurt others should also be banned. Anything else is selfish & hypocritical.

Of course we could also accept that many of these issues are caused by packing too many people into too small a space. The evidence is overwhelming that people who live in cities die younger, have worse respiratory health but also worth mental health & are far more likely to be the victim of violent crime. If we are actually going to address these issues let's have a joined up strategy and do it fairly and properly with a blueprint for a fairer society. And yes that will need to look at all sources of pollution & treat them all even handedly.

 

[Fadcode]

Since we all have a pollution footprint, why not ban humans and be done with it?

We should ban those inconsiderate people who spend their life living off grid, everyone I have seen on TV, burns wood, the inconsiderate gaskets. Saying that though they all look kinda fit, and enjoy that kind of life, maybe burning wood isn't that bad after all, most don't have cars, so it's a bit of a balance really.

 

[1 pot hunter]

It's hard to argue with the health logic of that. Equally it's difficult to argue with banning alcohol. No-one needs alcohol, it's a factor in the majority of violent crime and causes death and injury to innocent parties whilst putting an enormous strain on the NHS. Banning alcohol would probably help far more people than banning wood burners.

Yeh alcohol is a downward spiral

 

[1 pot hunter]

And it's the CO2 in the upper atmosphere from holiday flights that directly contributing to anthropogenic global warming.

The heatwave last year is estimated to have killed 3,000 people in the UK

Statement – Climate change is already killing us, but strong action now can prevent more deaths

November is a crucial month for climate change and health. Representatives and negotiators from all over the world are gathering in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) to build on prior agreements to urgently reduce greenhouse gas emissions...

www.who.int

International holidays are also a lifestyle choice and also killing people. Sure they aren't the only cause of CO2 just as wood burners aren't the only source of particulates, but if we are banning lifestyle choices because of their negative health impacts on others, surely we should start with the big problems?

Agreed

 

[Kav]

My lifelong fantasy is a MKll Phantom in Masons Black, glass division and a fat trunk on the boot.
I will take inspiration from Lord Berens and install a small wood burning stove next to the liquor cabinet.
I did my part with Sea Shepherd and Earth First! Have been without a car for ten years. I will burn Irish peat and to hell with criticism

 

[Winnet]

"No man is an island", etc.,

"Unless his name is Madagascar!"

G

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