Re: “A short rant on air pollution”, (Citizen, Dec. 23)
The above letter does make some good points in regards to the air pollution in the Cowichan Valley. However, the usual solution to the problem that is always suggested is to ban the woodstove.
Air pollution does not just need to be addressed here in the Valley. Worldwide solutions need to be examined and implemented. Our governments need to provide everyone with clean, affordable sources of heat and energy. Right now we are being manipulated in so many ways by energy companies and Hydro. Once you relinquish your woodstove, you are then under the complete control of these companies who only want to make as much money off you that they can.
Heat pumps are wonderful if you can afford them, not everyone has that luxury. If you lose power, in some provinces you will freeze, or be forced to abandon your home to seek out shelter and heat somewhere else. Smart meter technology is certainly not in our best interests, just the big corporations’. Hydro Code 6 safety standards here in North America are a lot lower than they are in Europe. They are only based on thermal and not the biological effects.
Solar and wind energy are the future, but unless the energy companies can make lots of money off us, they will not be presented to us as affordable alternative. We need to make the change ourselves. Air pollution comes in many forms. A clean burning woodstove can in fact be beneficial to our environment.
Yes, we need to make a very big change, but banning the woodstove will not be the solution to our problems.
Mary Jane Bateman
Duncan