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🔥 Burning wood is the more expensive way of heating a home 🔥
Not only is burning wood almost always more expensive than central heating, but it also has huge hidden costs for everyone in society. We all pay the bill!
🧵👇
theguardian.com/environment/20…
Not only is burning wood almost always more expensive than central heating, but it also has huge hidden costs for everyone in society. We all pay the bill!
🧵👇
theguardian.com/environment/20…
Who burns wood? Research shows that most people who burn wood in cities are from...
🏡 more affluent households (typically from the highest AB grades)
🔥 and burn wood for aesthetic reasons, to create a cosy atmosphere.
🏡 more affluent households (typically from the highest AB grades)
🔥 and burn wood for aesthetic reasons, to create a cosy atmosphere.
Obviously, this isn't fair.
The consequences of burning affects people across communities - particularly a problem in densely packed towns and cities.
Children, older people, people with health conditions...all forced to breathe highly toxic air.
The consequences of burning affects people across communities - particularly a problem in densely packed towns and cities.
Children, older people, people with health conditions...all forced to breathe highly toxic air.
People might underestimate the effect of air pollution from burning wood.
But as sales of wood burners have increased, they've become THE primary source of PM2.5 in cities.
If you're unsure of how or why PM2.5 is harmful here's a summary:
But as sales of wood burners have increased, they've become THE primary source of PM2.5 in cities.
If you're unsure of how or why PM2.5 is harmful here's a summary:
https://twitter.com/PatrickjaLee/status/1648986424098652160
Considering the cost of living and energy crises have made it harder for us all to affordably heat our homes, we at @ImpUrbanHealth wanted to know whether burning wood really is a cheaper option.
We supported @globalactplan to carry out an economic analysis...
We supported @globalactplan to carry out an economic analysis...
Turns out, it's not cheaper. In fact...
"Wood burners are more expensive than both gas boilers and air source heat pumps in almost every scenario."
"Wood burners are more expensive than both gas boilers and air source heat pumps in almost every scenario."
Due to increases in the cost of wood fuel, the only scenario in which burners are cheaper is when lots of the wood is free.
But free wood (like scrap wood that hasn’t been properly dried or seasoned) is very toxic. Last year, arsenic was in London's air.
theguardian.com/environment/20…
But free wood (like scrap wood that hasn’t been properly dried or seasoned) is very toxic. Last year, arsenic was in London's air.
theguardian.com/environment/20…
Not only did @ImpUrbanHealth and @globalactplan find burning wood is more expensive for the household burning, but it is also has major hidden costs for all of us in society.
If a family of four burn wood using an eco-stove and well-seasoned wood, it costs society £9,060!
If a family of four burn wood using an eco-stove and well-seasoned wood, it costs society £9,060!
That cost rises to £39,243 if the households is using damp wood in an older stove.
And yet, sales of wood burners continue to increase.
(On the left, a typical ad for a wood burner.
On the right, an effective way to inform people about links between burning and pollution.)
And yet, sales of wood burners continue to increase.
(On the left, a typical ad for a wood burner.
On the right, an effective way to inform people about links between burning and pollution.)
People sometimes claim burning wood is a more sustainable way to heat a home...
Nope! It takes years, decades, or even a century or more for the CO2 from wood burning to be fully reabsorbed by the growing ecosystems, depending on the forest management and biomass source.
Nope! It takes years, decades, or even a century or more for the CO2 from wood burning to be fully reabsorbed by the growing ecosystems, depending on the forest management and biomass source.
This research is the result of brilliant work by @rpidgeon77, @lucyganderson, and many others at @ImpUrbanHealth and @globalactplan.
It's part of ongoing efforts, including by groups like @MumsForLungs, to inform people of the links between burning wood and air pollution.
It's part of ongoing efforts, including by groups like @MumsForLungs, to inform people of the links between burning wood and air pollution.
.@ImpUrbanHealth have funded more work (this time by @kantar and @globalactplan), looking into how councils and campaigners can inform people about burning wood and air pollution.
Those insights can be found here:
Those insights can be found here:
https://twitter.com/PatrickjaLee/status/1706219275231379793
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