Why Wood is An Environmentally Friendly Fuel
With growing concern about the environment, most of us are thinking about ways that we can adopt a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Deciding to heat your home with wood is a step in the right direction. Wood is a remarkably eco-friendly fuel source for multiple reasons:
Wood is Carbon Neutral
Choosing to heat your home will wood can reduce your carbon footprint. Excess carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is believed to be a cause of global warming. The use of fossil fuels is one of the greatest contributors to excess CO2. Fossil fuels, like petroleum, natural gas and coal, have absorbed carbon for hundreds of years. Burning them releases a large amount of this greenhouse gas into the atmosphere quickly. In contrast, burning wood releases a minimal amount.
Since the life of a tree is much shorter than that of fossil fuel it does not absorb that much carbon. When wood is burned it releases the same amount of carbon as it would decomposing in the forest. For this reason, the Carbon Trust considers burning wood “carbon neutral.”
Wood is a Renewable & Sustainable Fuel
Wood is an abundant and renewable resource in North America. Unlike fossil fuels that are predicted to run out in the next 50 years, new trees are continually being planted. Deforestation by wood harvesting companies is a problem of the past. Forests that were diminishing in size are growing. The U.S. Forest Service has transformed the timber industry so that today there are more trees in the U.S. then there were 100 years ago.
The U.S. Forest Service ensures that clear cutting is no longer practiced. They monitor the amount of timber harvested and enforce the practice of planting more than one harvests. Through their diligence, the timber industry has become sustainable.
You can minimize the environmental impact further by choosing to use local firewood suppliers. If you would like to be more independent, you can find your own firewood by harvesting dead trees, collecting fallen branches or contacting a local recycling organization near you. Of course, you must be sure to ask permission if you collect firewood from other’s land.
High Efficiency = Low Emissions
With a modern wood-burning appliance, you do not have to worry that using wood will release lots of smoke and gas into the environment. Modern wood-burning stoves and fireplace inserts have been designed to meet and exceed the high standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the 1980s. Challenged to be innovative, technology designers have improved the efficiency of wood-burning appliances to as much as 80%. The more efficiently a fire burns the cleaner it is and the better impact it has on the environment.
The longer and hotter a fire burns, the more gases it consumes that were created by combustion. For this reason, EPA-certified wood appliances are able to surpass clean-air standards. Some of the latest models produce so little smoke and give off such low emissions that they are permitted in smoke-free zones. While old-fashioned wood-burning appliances release around 40 grams of smoke per hour, an average modern wood-burning appliance releases just 2 to 5 grams per hour.
The efficiency of modern wood-burning appliances also makes them a more viable alternative. A standard fireplace or old-fashioned wood stove cannot generate enough heat to compete with your central heating system but a modern wood-burning appliance can. From one log they can generate for 4 times more heat than an old appliance. The new venting technology used for wood stoves and fireplace inserts keeps that heat in your home, instead of letting most of it escape up the chimney. You and your family can stay warm this winter with a modern wood-burning stove or fireplace insert.
If you are concerned about the environment, you can feel good about using firewood to heat your home. To learn more about the benefits of wood-burning appliances, browse through our archives or contact one of our specialists. We would be happy to help you find the green heating solution that is best for you.