Maybe it's just me, but where do you all think the wood that we don't burn goes? Studies have shown repeatedly that trees that are not burned and left to rot in a natural state will produce almost the exact same amount of gas/emissions as a tree being burned in a stove. Now lets think what happens to these trees that didn't get burned to save the environment. Hmm what's going on in most states like California right now? They have the strictest GOV/state mandated air restrictions and yet have far worse air that almost anyplace as we speak. All those trees we didn't burn are now being burned. Hmm. Now lets look at the fact that long before man, trees/plants have been burned and is just a part of the life cycle of the forest. I would also venture a guess that the amount of emissions that one forest fire will produce is more than all the old smoke dragon's burning 24/7 for two years.
Second part of this problem is efficiency. There is no direct correlation between usable efficiency and g/hr efficiency. Lets look at diesel vs gas. A diesel car gets better mileage than a gas car being used the same way, but the diesel car will produce more emissions out the tailpipe than the gas car will. There are also stoves that have a higher usable burning efficiency like LHV/HHV and yet have a higher G/hr rating out the stack. I personally will take the usable efficiency over the far less tangible out the stack efficiency.
I have and enjoy my high efficiency stove. I however do not believe being told by anyone that I have to change my stove or whatever to a different one follows any notion of being free. Those who are willing to give up some freedom in exchange for some security, deserve neither, and will lose both. I think people should have the right to do and say as they wish. However freedom works both ways, in that if I don't like what you are saying/doing, you should fully expect a pop in the mouth. I believe in everything in moderation. I do not think loggers should have free run of all the forests or lets face it there would be no forest left. Nor do I think current regulations are the answer as they are too restrictive on some things. I support useful and needed educated legislation, one that follows a strict moral, ethical, and intelligent path. The problem is good legislation is often perverted by the uneducated masses to some other monster altogether than what it was intended or initially passed for. The U.S.A was in great shape 50 years ago because everyone back then came form the rural farm/ranch setting and then moved to a city for an easier lifestyle. They were city folk but they had been out in the real world enough to understand what it was all about. Now the majority of the population is born raised in the city and has absolutely no earthy idea of what real life is all about. They have missed life's lessons on hard work, death, hard times, reaping what you sew, and so forth. Now they have no common sense, and have lost touch with reality. They are taught to think as a group instead of an individual. Everything is given instead of earned, and so they now expect and even think we owe them a living. After all milk comes from the store in a plastic jug, food is made by the restaurants and just magically appears.
Unfortunately man is greedy and must be governed, often unwisely. If left to their own greed they fuel nothing but their own agenda, and only line their own pockets in most instances. I believe we have seen that proved here on this very thread in the form of the OP saying they would support government Nazi program because it was good for their business. I am sure propane company says they would support a total ban on wood heat because it was good for their business. Very few have the integrity to work for our business instead of hoping for, or worse yet supporting a mandated line to their door. Even fewer yet will do what is right even if it means having a little less money in their pocket book. Free enterprise equals a free county, anything else and your on my fighting side.
Perhaps now would be a good time for all of us to re-evaluate our own stance and our priorities. How it would affect the other person/people if we were in their shoes. If you do not like being told what to do, or do not like rules and regulations being raised against things you like to do, then stop and question, ponder, and really think through any notion of supporting any restriction against another. If you enjoy being free than do not take freedom from the rest of us.
