Here I go again with my annual rant against wood burners who smoke out their neighbours.
To highlight what wood burners are doing to our air, there is a historical social concern called “The Tragedy of the Commons”. The phrase originated when too many greedy farmers over-grazed and destroyed common pasture lands. Look it up on the Internet. The same concept applies to any resource be it fish, moose, water, soil or air.
When there were only a few people in a vast atmosphere, like in the cavemen or pioneer days, it did not matter how one used the surrounding air. However, in modern crowded neighbourhoods, filling the air with excess wood smoke leads to “The Tragedy of the Commons”. If you burn wood for winter heat, then where are your outhouses, water wells, horses, pigs, cows and chickens like in the pioneer days?
Why are we restricted from shooting guns, hunting within city limits, speeding near schools, throwing garbage, etc? Because certain things affect others and then society has to create laws to try to control the abuse.
Wood heat is many times dirtier than natural gas and the smoke particles damage health, no matter how nice the smell. Take some time and look up the many reports about wood smoke and health. If you claim poverty, realize that there are decent alternatives to the unnecessary luxury of central heat. Wear more clothes in a cooler house, thus heating the individual instead of the whole area. All of our public buildings should be kept at 15C or 60F, which is the average temperature of the Earth. It someone complains then they should wear warm clothes.
Modern society needs more cooperative citizens and fewer greedy individuals. Cooperative societies have more success in the long run and Prince George could be more successful and cleaner if more stopped burning wood. Leave the wood to rot into soil where it belongs to make trees, lumber and pulp.
Vic Steblin
Prince George
