Owners of wood stoves: your smoke is air pollution. Please pause to consider that.
If wood smoke is not a pollutant, why do you need a chimney? The electricity on our grid is mostly hydro, wind or solar. There is no need to light your wood stove as it is over eight degrees and the ventilation index is poor.
Perhaps consider turning on a space heater or wearing more clothes, or having a hot cup of tea or heating just one small room with electricity rather than the entire house, or exercise a little bit. There are many alternatives to wood heat.
In the longer term, maybe spend some money on additional insulation or have a heat pump installed, or buy a small electric space heater to place next to where you sit most often.
If the power goes out because of a wind storm, by all means use your wood stove as a backup.
And if you are a denier of the climate crisis, please go online to investigate the 30 inches of rain that Italy recently had in 12 hours. Or think back to how many BC residents died in this summer’s heat wave.
Like earth’s water, we all share the same air. Those of us living in wealthier countries need to do our part in reducing air pollution until poorer nations can install alternative energy systems. In some places, burning wood might be the only option presently available.
We are lucky to have more options here in Canada. Please use the ones that pollute the least.
Lorne Morrow is a qathet region resident.
