Editor:
Re.: Surprised Canmorites are happy, Alan Smith, Alberta Director Canadian Clean Air Alliance (Aug. 8 RMO).
First I was confused. Then I was amused. Mr. Smith’s contribution to Canmore’s air quality reads like you are dropping dead once crossing town boundaries because of almost lethal air quality.
Did he ever witness the yellowish toxic plume hanging over Calgary on a calm winter day approaching the city from the west? Unlikely caused by wood stoves.
I have identified two main sources of poor air quality in Canmore. Firstly, with winds from the west and south, forest fires in Montana, Wyoming, British Columbia and prescribed burns by Parks Canada. Secondly, winds coming from the east, bringing, aside from cold, rain, snow and other miserable weather conditions, pollution from the various Exshaw plants, i.e. nothing good comes from Exshaw.
If Mr. Smith feels having to justify his remuneration as Alberta Director Canadian Clean Air Alliance by writing letters such as the above quoted, why not contribute something constructive? Such would have been a manual as to how to burn wood cleanly and efficiently.
The fact that this can be done is manifested by considerable incentives provided by governments in other jurisdictions encouraging the installation of wood burning devices in the form of hundreds, if not thousands, of Euros in rebates.
The most advanced wood burning technology are pellet stoves. They are used for space heating and power generation.
Canada exported some 1.2 million tonnes of pellets to the EU in 2011, its largest market. Is it because people like Mr. Smith don’t know what to do with pellets domestically? If so, Mr. Smith would certainly qualify for an honourary seat on Town council.
But also, solid wood (logs) burning stoves have come a long way, both in time and in design and efficiency.
The drive for energy efficiency is not a contemporary endeavour. Frederic the Great (1712 - 1786), King of Prussia, had a competition for a stove design to burn wood more efficiently. The winner, a tiled stove with a sophisticated system of flues, which allow the heat to be transferred to the stone works for heat storage and subsequent slow release. Almost 300 years old and yet as modern and often upscale as it can be.
I don’t think people have smoke bulging out of their chimneys deliberately. They may simply not know better. Hence, a progressive municipal administration would put together a guideline as to how the combustion process works and how to burn wood cleanly, i.e. efficiently. After all, incomplete combustion results in creosote, soot, carbon monoxyde and smoke, all indicators of an incomplete combustion.
In other words, money going up the chimney. Burning wood cleanly ought to be in the interest of everyone, including Mr. Smith.
Dieter Remppel,
Canmore
