(This
article originally linked to an article, from the Norwich
Bulletin, about wood stoves. The comments in this piece were
developed after reading the article… about certain wood stoves
being used in Connecticut and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.)
Blumenthal
is looking to have Connecticut join the state of Washington… and
a few towns in Connecticut… in outlawing outdoor wood stoves.
And on the surface, it seems like an interesting debate. Topics
are raised such as people using the stoves for burning garbage
and that outdoor units are not regulated the way indoor stoves
are. That’s the basics.
But
did you see the deeper idea? The out-of-the-box idea… one that
falls right in line with the questions I usually find myself asking
about all sorts of subjects… is about burning wood. But you have
to follow the story to the next phase. (And that’s where I come
in… as usual, I want to know where this leads… the reaction following
the action, which so often seems to get left out.)
See…
if Blumenthal wants to ban outdoor wood stoves, then I really
can’t say I have an interest in the story. I don’t have an outdoor
wood stove. I have no plans to buy an outdoor wood stove… install
an outdoor wood stove… or in any way use an outdoor wood stove
in the near future. Blumenthal regularly seems to enjoy seeing
his name in the paper while waving at windmills, so… you know…
whatever.
But
this seems like more than that to me. Or, potentially more than
that.
The
article starts talking about carbon footprints and breathing wood
smoke and all sorts of other stuff. And if they are sincere about
that… simply about what they claim burning wood does… that has
me wondering…
When
do they plan to ban all wood stoves… and fireplaces… and other
associated stuff?
Ok…
I see I may be losing you. After all… who would ban a fireplace?
(Well… I think Blumenthal for one. But that would force me to
really digress.)
Let
me ask you something…
When
was the last time you changed the oil in your car? How about having
your furnace cleaned? Did someone come to sweep out your chimney?
After
all… we all know there are certain things we should do at certain
intervals. Of course those of us using oil to heat our homes know
the filters should be changed, nozzles checked, and the furnace
cleaned every year (or at least every two). Some times though,
we hit three years. (Some times… gasp… more.)
Occasionally
you drive an extra 500… 1,000… 2,000 miles or more before rotating
your tires.
And
these things happen even with the best of intentions. You lose
track… don’t have the money… the list of reasons goes on and on,
and it is long.
Here
though, it even goes beyond those reasons.
Let’s
consider that every state is slightly different (and some times
vastly different) in what they require for automobile inspections.
Fair enough concept to agree upon? Ok… good.
In
the end, the idea involving the wood becomes simple. If we can
agree people lose track of things even with the best of intentions…
and if we can agree that states come up with wildly different
laws for the same issues… than I don’t think that it is that misplaced
to think that someone who feels banning outdoor wood stoves is
the right thing to do is that far away from believing that banning
indoor wood stoves is worth considering… and then taking action.
I
read far more stories about the dangers of fireplaces and indoor
wood stoves than I do about outdoor wood stoves. Does burning
wood in an outdoor wood stove really pollute more than burning
wood in a fireplace that hasn’t been cleaned properly for several
years?
I’m
just asking.