In response to the recent letters opposing wood-burning stoves.
Aside from the fact that wood burning pollutes the air and may be harmful to some people more than others, a major fact that everyone seems to be missing is that most people who “burn wood” for heat do so because they can’t afford to “burn electricity.”
Not everyone living in rural areas has the luxury of a natural gas furnace, or a couple of natural gas fireplaces, or, for that matter, can afford to upgrade their electric heating systems to the tune of $10,000 or more for an electric heat pump, etc. Replacing baseboards isn’t going to significantly lower the cost, perhaps a few dollars a month.
Basically it boils down to affordability… heat the house, or eat. I can do both if I use wood.
If the anti wood-burning people are so concerned about air quality, let me ask you this, do you drive a car? Cars pollute far more than a few wood stoves on a yearly basis. Perhaps you should walk the talk.
Sid Vandermeer
Qualicum Beach