WOOD BURNING BIOMASS ENERGY
The biggest carbon Dioxide Emitter
Wood fueled biomass energy worse for carbon dioxide emissions than fossil fuels. Massachusetts Forest Watch released a report today (www.maforests.org/MFWCarb.pdf) stating that contrary to the belief that wood fueled biomass burning would help lower carbon dioxide emissions, it would instead dramatically increase them.
According to the group, wood fueled biomass burning is typically touted as a carbon neutral fuel by biomass proponents, but the key assumption about carbon neutrality is unsubstantiated and impossible when using existing forests as fuel.
In the report, wood fueled biomass power plants are shown to be worse than all fossil fuel power plants, including coal, for carbon dioxide emissions per unit of energy produced. Calculations provided show wood fueled biomass power plants emit about 50% more CO2 per MWh than existing coal plants, 150% more than existing natural gas plants and 330% more than new power plants.
Forest Watch spokesperson Chris Matera said, “It really is crazy. Hundreds of millions of dollars in public so-called “green” energy subsidies are being wasted on dirty wood biomass burning of forests instead of going to genuinely clean energy sources such as solar, geothermal, appropriate wind and hydro and importantly conservation and efficiency. At a time when budgets are being slashed, we are throwing away scarce taxpayer money on a caveman technology that will worsen our problems, not help solve them.”
Last Wednesday, a hearing was held in Boston by the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy on House Bill 4458 that would create into law the citizen‟s referendum that recently collected over 78,000 certified signatures, which is enough to put the measure on the ballot in November. The ballot measure would put a limit on carbon dioxide emissions in order for renewable energy sources to be eligible to receive taxpayer subsidies and other benefits and would effectively ban taxpayer subsidies from being directed toward wood fueled biomass plants since their carbon dioxide emissions are so high.
"We find that people are willing to support truly clean energy but do not want to pay extra on their electricity bills and tax bills to build these dirty biomass incinerators," said Jana Chicoine of the Concerned Citizens of Russell, "Everyone knows that the proposed biomass incinerators would add to air pollution and make carbon emissions worse, yet the Patrick administration is still forcing us to pay for it. It's a tragic situation, but we have a chance to fix it in the legislature over the next couple of weeks."
Meg Sheehan, chair of the Stop Spewing Carbon ballot question committee commenting about the hearing added, “last week the Massachusetts legislature received un-rebutted testimony from medical professionals that particulate emissions from wood burning biomass plants increase human mortality. A broad coalition of medical and citizen groups are urging our elected officials to support House Bill 4458 to address this public health threat. Action is needed now," she added.
Contact:
Chris Matera
Massachusetts Forest Watch
christoforest@maforests.org
www.maforests.org
413-341-3878
CREDIT TO---The Wood Smoke Activist
April 2010 Newsletter
http://WoodBurnerSmoke.net
Woodsmoke is toxic and harmful
Posted in the Lethbridge Herald
Written by Cathy Baiton
Monday, 08 February 2010
The adverse effects of cigarette smoke are well-known, but another source of second-hand smoke has become noticeable in parts of our city, as more chimneys are releasing wood smoke into the air. In Canada and elsewhere, a movement away from residential wood burning is beginning to emerge, in light of ongoing research about its harmful effects.
Wood smoke actually contains many toxins similar to those found in cigarette smoke, and components of both types of smoke are carcinogenic. The extremely fine particles in wood smoke can penetrate deep into the lungs, and remain active in the body up to 40 times longer than tobacco smoke. Even short exposures can trigger or aggravate allergy, asthma or other health issues, and research shows that children in wood-burning neighbourhoods have more lung and breathing problems. Because the particulate matter is so fine, up to 70 per cent of outdoor levels of smoke can enter homes nearby, as U.S. studies have shown.
Residential wood-burning emissions are also a main cause of fine particle pollution in many cities — in some areas, even more than emissions from industry or vehicles. More information on the air quality and health effects of residential wood burning can be found at the excellent Burning Issues website, at http://burningissues.org . A number of places, such as Montreal and Hampstead, Que., have brought in public awareness efforts, regulations and bans to help local air quality and protect residents from exposure to wood smoke. Wood burning can be an option in the country where homes are widely spaced and the smoke can dissipate, but it’s very different on residential streets where neighbours often bear the brunt of smoke or fumes produced by chimneys or fire pits nearby.
We’re fortunate to live in a region where cleaner-burning fuels are available, which the American Lung Association recommends using in place of wood whenever possible. As the Lung Association of Quebec says in an article about residential wood heating on its website: ―It is time to care about the air that we pollute because it is the air that we breathe. As a parent, I also hope people will consider the potential costs for the environment and health before burning wood in residential areas, to help the air stay healthier for everyone, in all seasons.
From----The Wood Smoke Activist
April 2010 Newsletter
http://WoodBurnerSmoke.net
Written by Cathy Baiton
Monday, 08 February 2010
The adverse effects of cigarette smoke are well-known, but another source of second-hand smoke has become noticeable in parts of our city, as more chimneys are releasing wood smoke into the air. In Canada and elsewhere, a movement away from residential wood burning is beginning to emerge, in light of ongoing research about its harmful effects.
Wood smoke actually contains many toxins similar to those found in cigarette smoke, and components of both types of smoke are carcinogenic. The extremely fine particles in wood smoke can penetrate deep into the lungs, and remain active in the body up to 40 times longer than tobacco smoke. Even short exposures can trigger or aggravate allergy, asthma or other health issues, and research shows that children in wood-burning neighbourhoods have more lung and breathing problems. Because the particulate matter is so fine, up to 70 per cent of outdoor levels of smoke can enter homes nearby, as U.S. studies have shown.
Residential wood-burning emissions are also a main cause of fine particle pollution in many cities — in some areas, even more than emissions from industry or vehicles. More information on the air quality and health effects of residential wood burning can be found at the excellent Burning Issues website, at http://burningissues.org . A number of places, such as Montreal and Hampstead, Que., have brought in public awareness efforts, regulations and bans to help local air quality and protect residents from exposure to wood smoke. Wood burning can be an option in the country where homes are widely spaced and the smoke can dissipate, but it’s very different on residential streets where neighbours often bear the brunt of smoke or fumes produced by chimneys or fire pits nearby.
We’re fortunate to live in a region where cleaner-burning fuels are available, which the American Lung Association recommends using in place of wood whenever possible. As the Lung Association of Quebec says in an article about residential wood heating on its website: ―It is time to care about the air that we pollute because it is the air that we breathe. As a parent, I also hope people will consider the potential costs for the environment and health before burning wood in residential areas, to help the air stay healthier for everyone, in all seasons.
From----The Wood Smoke Activist
April 2010 Newsletter
http://WoodBurnerSmoke.net
EPA'S BURN WISE IS BAD NEWS FOR ALL!!!
Friday, March 12, 2010
URGENT INFORMATION---ACTION NEEDED NOW
EPA'S BURN WISE IS BAD NEWS FOR ALL!!!
The EPA is about to begin a “Burn Wise” national campaign that promotes wood burning and advises people on how to burn cleaner with EPA certified wood stoves. This could result in more wood burning and more wood smoke. This campaign is a threat to children’s health and anyone with asthma or heart disease. Wood smoke is already ruining outdoor air in metro areas throughout our country. Outdoor wood boilers are being banned, due to the severe health effects of wood smoke. This is like the tobacco promotions in the past about “smoking cleaner” with filter cigarettes. We must use this opportunity to get our opposing voices heard. Now is the time to press our decision-makers nation-wide to restrict wood burning, before more wood smoke pollutes our air and further harms our families.
Pass this on and encourage all decision-makers in your community to disallow wood burning in your communities. This is “greenwashing” at its lowest level.
PLEASE all activists, put this on your web pages, Twitter, UTube, Facebook and other websites. If someone could add a no burn icon to this, please let me know.
THE ONLY WISE BURNING IS NO BURNING
The EPA begins a wood burning campaign this Friday to encourage people to “burn wise” by burning cleaner. They also promote EPA-certified wood burning appliances, which means more wood smoke.
At the same time, their promotion states that wood smoke is harmful to children and to human health, especially for kids and people with asthma or heart disease.
DON’T BE DUPED!
Wood burning is NEVER safe!
5 Reasons not to burn wood:
1. Wood smoke is implicated in asthma attacks, heart attacks, cancer, sudden infant death syndrome and premature death in people of all ages. (American Lung Association, EPA, MPCA websites).
2. Wood smoke is a major source of fine particle pollution, the worst kind. (MPCA and EPA websites)
3. Wood smoke carries fine particulates that can be drawn deep into the lungs, causing severe damage.
4. Wood smoke contains black carbon soot, which accelerates the melting of glaciers.
5. Wood smoke’s black carbon soot contributes heavily to global warming and climate change!
6. Wood smoke violates the property rights of others to enjoy their property smoke-free.
The only answer is to contact your city councils, legislators and other decision-makers and demand that they ban wood burning in residential areas. Outdoor wood boilers (OWBs) are being banned in many cities nation-wide. NO SMOKE IS GOOD SMOKE. If they have banned cigarette smoking in public areas, why are they forcing us to breathe wood smoke in our own home and property?
WOOD SMOKE IS MORE THAN A NUISANCE—it is a severe public health hazard!
We all need to work on this important issue and we need to do it now!
EPA'S BURN WISE IS BAD NEWS FOR ALL!!!
The EPA is about to begin a “Burn Wise” national campaign that promotes wood burning and advises people on how to burn cleaner with EPA certified wood stoves. This could result in more wood burning and more wood smoke. This campaign is a threat to children’s health and anyone with asthma or heart disease. Wood smoke is already ruining outdoor air in metro areas throughout our country. Outdoor wood boilers are being banned, due to the severe health effects of wood smoke. This is like the tobacco promotions in the past about “smoking cleaner” with filter cigarettes. We must use this opportunity to get our opposing voices heard. Now is the time to press our decision-makers nation-wide to restrict wood burning, before more wood smoke pollutes our air and further harms our families.
Pass this on and encourage all decision-makers in your community to disallow wood burning in your communities. This is “greenwashing” at its lowest level.
PLEASE all activists, put this on your web pages, Twitter, UTube, Facebook and other websites. If someone could add a no burn icon to this, please let me know.
THE ONLY WISE BURNING IS NO BURNING
The EPA begins a wood burning campaign this Friday to encourage people to “burn wise” by burning cleaner. They also promote EPA-certified wood burning appliances, which means more wood smoke.
At the same time, their promotion states that wood smoke is harmful to children and to human health, especially for kids and people with asthma or heart disease.
DON’T BE DUPED!
Wood burning is NEVER safe!
5 Reasons not to burn wood:
1. Wood smoke is implicated in asthma attacks, heart attacks, cancer, sudden infant death syndrome and premature death in people of all ages. (American Lung Association, EPA, MPCA websites).
2. Wood smoke is a major source of fine particle pollution, the worst kind. (MPCA and EPA websites)
3. Wood smoke carries fine particulates that can be drawn deep into the lungs, causing severe damage.
4. Wood smoke contains black carbon soot, which accelerates the melting of glaciers.
5. Wood smoke’s black carbon soot contributes heavily to global warming and climate change!
6. Wood smoke violates the property rights of others to enjoy their property smoke-free.
The only answer is to contact your city councils, legislators and other decision-makers and demand that they ban wood burning in residential areas. Outdoor wood boilers (OWBs) are being banned in many cities nation-wide. NO SMOKE IS GOOD SMOKE. If they have banned cigarette smoking in public areas, why are they forcing us to breathe wood smoke in our own home and property?
WOOD SMOKE IS MORE THAN A NUISANCE—it is a severe public health hazard!
We all need to work on this important issue and we need to do it now!
THE ONLY WISE BURNING IS NO BURNING
Thursday, March 11, 2010
THE ONLY WISE BURNING IS NO BURNING
(But, not in Canada per a Canadian Federal Minister of Environment)
http://woodburnersmoke.net/
Much has been published by wood burning appliance makers that might lead one to believe that wood burning is safe. Not so!
There is no such thing as 'good' smoke. All smoke carries particulate matter that can be drawn deep into the lungs to cause severe damage. If you can smell smoke then you are inhaling these particulates and the damage has begun. You cannot escape the wood smoke that makes its way into your home through ventilation systems and even minute spaces in doors and windows. No air cleaner will clear the air and make it safe to breathe. The only answer is for all of you to contact your municipal and governmental leaders and demand that they ban wood burning of any kind in residential areas. You might want to tell them that, if they have banned cigarette smoking in public areas, why are you forced to breathe wood smoke in your own home and property?
We all need to work on this important issue and we need to do it now!
Here is a response from a Canadian Federal Minister of Environment:
See----http://woodburnersmoke.net/
It tells us that money is more important than your health and that is why we need to raise our voices and our pens!
Please go to this website for more details------http://woodburnersmoke.net/
Wood Burner Smoke
Ontario, Canada
(But, not in Canada per a Canadian Federal Minister of Environment)
http://woodburnersmoke.net/
Much has been published by wood burning appliance makers that might lead one to believe that wood burning is safe. Not so!
There is no such thing as 'good' smoke. All smoke carries particulate matter that can be drawn deep into the lungs to cause severe damage. If you can smell smoke then you are inhaling these particulates and the damage has begun. You cannot escape the wood smoke that makes its way into your home through ventilation systems and even minute spaces in doors and windows. No air cleaner will clear the air and make it safe to breathe. The only answer is for all of you to contact your municipal and governmental leaders and demand that they ban wood burning of any kind in residential areas. You might want to tell them that, if they have banned cigarette smoking in public areas, why are you forced to breathe wood smoke in your own home and property?
We all need to work on this important issue and we need to do it now!
Here is a response from a Canadian Federal Minister of Environment:
See----http://woodburnersmoke.net/
It tells us that money is more important than your health and that is why we need to raise our voices and our pens!
Please go to this website for more details------http://woodburnersmoke.net/
Wood Burner Smoke
Ontario, Canada
Wood Fueled Biomass Burning the Biggest Carbon Dioxide Emitter
Monday, March 1, 2010
From: Chris Matera [mailto:christoforest@maforests.org]
Sent: March-01-10 12:33 PM
Subject: PRESS RELEASE: Wood Fueled Biomass Burning the Biggest Carbon Dioxide Emitter
Contact:
Chris Matera
Massachusetts Forest Watch
christoforest@maforests.org
www.maforests.org
413-341-3878
WOOD BURNING BIOMASS ENERGY –
THE BIGGEST CARBON DIOXIDE EMITTER
For Immediate Release
Wood fueled biomass energy worse for carbon dioxide emissions than fossil fuels
Massachusetts Forest Watch released a report today (www.maforests.org/MFWCarb.pdf) stating that contrary to the belief that wood fueled biomass burning would help lower carbon dioxide emissions, it would instead dramatically increase them.
According to the group, wood fueled biomass burning is typically touted as a carbon neutral fuel by biomass proponents, but the key assumption about carbon neutrality is unsubstantiated and impossible when using existing forests as fuel.
In the report, wood fueled biomass power plants are shown to be worse than all fossil fuel power plants, including coal, for carbon dioxide emissions per unit of energy produced. Calculations provided show wood fueled biomass power plants emit about 50% more CO2 per MWh than existing coal plants, 150% more than existing natural gas plants and 330% more than new power plants.
Forest Watch spokesperson Chris Matera said, “It really is crazy. Hundreds of millions of dollars in public so-called “green” energy subsidies are being wasted on dirty wood biomass burning of forests instead of going to genuinely clean energy sources such as solar, geothermal, appropriate wind and hydro and importantly conservation and efficiency. At a time when budgets are being slashed, we are throwing away scarce taxpayer money on a caveman technology that will worsen our problems, not help solve them.”
Last Wednesday, a hearing was held in Boston by the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy on House Bill 4458 that would create into law the citizen’s referendum that recently collected over 78,000 certified signatures, which is enough to put the measure on the ballot in November. The ballot measure would put a limit on carbon dioxide emissions in order for renewable energy sources to be eligible to receive taxpayer subsidies and other benefits and would effectively ban taxpayer subsidies from being directed toward wood fueled biomass plants since their carbon dioxide emissions are so high.
"We find that people are willing to support truly clean energy but do not want to pay extra on their electricity bills and tax bills to build these dirty biomass incinerators," said Jana Chicoine of the Concerned Citizens of Russell, "Everyone knows that the proposed biomass incinerators would add to air pollution and make carbon emissions worse, yet the Patrick administration is still forcing us to pay for it. It's a tragic situation, but we have a chance to fix it in the legislature over the next couple of weeks."
Meg Sheehan, chair of the Stop Spewing Carbon ballot question committee commenting about the hearing added, “last week the Massachusetts legislature received un-rebutted testimony from medical professionals that particulate emissions from wood burning biomass plants increase human mortality. A broad coalition of medical and citizen groups are urging our elected officials to support House Bill 4458 to address this public health threat. Action is needed now," she added.
Sent: March-01-10 12:33 PM
Subject: PRESS RELEASE: Wood Fueled Biomass Burning the Biggest Carbon Dioxide Emitter
Contact:
Chris Matera
Massachusetts Forest Watch
christoforest@maforests.org
www.maforests.org
413-341-3878
WOOD BURNING BIOMASS ENERGY –
THE BIGGEST CARBON DIOXIDE EMITTER
For Immediate Release
Wood fueled biomass energy worse for carbon dioxide emissions than fossil fuels
Massachusetts Forest Watch released a report today (www.maforests.org/MFWCarb.pdf) stating that contrary to the belief that wood fueled biomass burning would help lower carbon dioxide emissions, it would instead dramatically increase them.
According to the group, wood fueled biomass burning is typically touted as a carbon neutral fuel by biomass proponents, but the key assumption about carbon neutrality is unsubstantiated and impossible when using existing forests as fuel.
In the report, wood fueled biomass power plants are shown to be worse than all fossil fuel power plants, including coal, for carbon dioxide emissions per unit of energy produced. Calculations provided show wood fueled biomass power plants emit about 50% more CO2 per MWh than existing coal plants, 150% more than existing natural gas plants and 330% more than new power plants.
Forest Watch spokesperson Chris Matera said, “It really is crazy. Hundreds of millions of dollars in public so-called “green” energy subsidies are being wasted on dirty wood biomass burning of forests instead of going to genuinely clean energy sources such as solar, geothermal, appropriate wind and hydro and importantly conservation and efficiency. At a time when budgets are being slashed, we are throwing away scarce taxpayer money on a caveman technology that will worsen our problems, not help solve them.”
Last Wednesday, a hearing was held in Boston by the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy on House Bill 4458 that would create into law the citizen’s referendum that recently collected over 78,000 certified signatures, which is enough to put the measure on the ballot in November. The ballot measure would put a limit on carbon dioxide emissions in order for renewable energy sources to be eligible to receive taxpayer subsidies and other benefits and would effectively ban taxpayer subsidies from being directed toward wood fueled biomass plants since their carbon dioxide emissions are so high.
"We find that people are willing to support truly clean energy but do not want to pay extra on their electricity bills and tax bills to build these dirty biomass incinerators," said Jana Chicoine of the Concerned Citizens of Russell, "Everyone knows that the proposed biomass incinerators would add to air pollution and make carbon emissions worse, yet the Patrick administration is still forcing us to pay for it. It's a tragic situation, but we have a chance to fix it in the legislature over the next couple of weeks."
Meg Sheehan, chair of the Stop Spewing Carbon ballot question committee commenting about the hearing added, “last week the Massachusetts legislature received un-rebutted testimony from medical professionals that particulate emissions from wood burning biomass plants increase human mortality. A broad coalition of medical and citizen groups are urging our elected officials to support House Bill 4458 to address this public health threat. Action is needed now," she added.
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