There is a silver lining behind the cloud of high gas prices–people will start paying attention to the energy they use and some of them will respond by trying to conserve. Many of the fixes, such as adding insulation, are low-tech and inexpensive.
The response cited in your article “Big gas bills warm hearts for firewood” (Page 1, Jan. 5) is correctly identified as costly. But the additional problems caused by using fireplaces aren’t mentioned. Residential wood-burning causes air pollution, and the release of matter into the air is a real health hazard.
Some of the new high-efficiency stoves reduce these emissions, but they don’t eliminate them entirely.
Although a burning log in a fireplace is “atmospheric,” it’s not quite as attractive when one considers that it also contributes to respiratory disease. Caulk around the window-frames is nowhere near as ornamental, but it’s sure a lot friendlier to your downwind neighbors.
