Firepits on warm evenings

[Applespider]

Just a plea for people not to light their firepits on these really hot evenings - or at least take a look around to see if your neighbours (for a few doors on each side) don't have their windows open. It's not really fair for them to suffer the choice of stifling in the heat or have their house stink of smoke so that you can have something pretty to look at while you sit outside.

[mancity68]

Agreed. Fed up of sitting in smoke and having to keep windows shut.

[intexasatthe moment]

Mmm while I feel your pain it's not that often we have weather warm enough to encourage sitting outside .

And there is of course the argument that it's ok for a group of people to be enjoying themselves even though their actions cause distress to others ( see 6 year old cycling on pavement thread ) .

I guess it's the flip side of living in a city where we are often in close proximity to others .

[Nigello]

we are often in close proximity to others - agreed, but all the more reason to act with your (very close-by) neighbours in mind.

[rendelharris]

intexasatthe moment Wrote:

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> And there is of course the argument that it's ok

> for a group of people to be enjoying themselves

> even though their actions cause distress to others

> ( see 6 year old cycling on pavement thread ) .

I think the difference is that it is possible for a well-controlled polite six-year-old to cycle on the pavement without causing any distress to others, but it's not possible to have a firepit on the go without the smoke going into other people's windows. Given that particulate pollution from woodburning stoves contributed to up to 50% of particulate matter in the air on some days last winter, and that firepits, which are not subject to the regulations demanding kiln-dried wood or other smokeless fuels, will be even worse contributors, it's really time we reconsidered our desire to burn things just because they look pretty. Natural gas and propane firepits are available - no cleaning, no trips to the shops for fuel, no fumes and no pollution!

[Applespider]

We don't often have nights warm enough to sit outside - I believe that's why people have fire pits to help warm up on those evenings when there's a slight chill in the air.

But when the temperature is in the 20s at 10pm, I think people should be warm enough without the fire!

And on cooler nights, neighbours will probably have windows closed and not care.

[yeknomyeknom]

Who in their right mind lights a fire pit in this heat! Even in the evenings! I would melt. The world is a fire pit.

[tomskip]

I cannot see the appeal at all of sitting near a fire. Unless its a freezing day and there is no alternative. Smoke smells awful!

[Willard]

rendelharris Wrote:

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"Given that particulate pollution from

> woodburning stoves contributed to up to 50% of

> particulate matter in the air on some days last

> winter..."

Source?

[intexasatthe moment]

"I think the difference is that it is possible for a well-controlled polite six-year-old to cycle on the pavement without causing any distress to others,"

I don't think you're getting the anxiety felt by an older /less mobile /more vulnerable when they suddenly become aware of an approaching cyclist . Do you think that older person has ESP and thinks to themselves " oh ,hang on a minute ,no need to worry,that 6 ye\r old approaching is the one in a million who is well trained ,in control of themself and not going to cause me any worries "?

[rendelharris]

Willard Wrote:

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> rendelharris Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> "Given that particulate pollution from

> > woodburning stoves contributed to up to 50% of

> > particulate matter in the air on some days last

> > winter..."

>

> Source?

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2119595-wood-burners-london-air-pollution-is-just-tip-of-the-iceberg/

(May have to create free account to read)

[redjam]

Blimey, you lot are miserable. I love the smell of wood smoke and barbecues on summer evenings; they smell of summer to me. It's not like it happens all the time - it's a seasonal thing. Does no one else love sitting round a real campfire with a group of friends when camping or having a family barbecue on a Sunday night?

And yes, yes, I get the environmental concern but I already feel guilty about so many things (and generally try to live a good, eco life) that this one seems a bridge too far. It's burning wood, for god's sake! Humans have been doing it for millennia!

[rendelharris]

I don't think "I like doing something" is really a valid excuse for contributing heavily, and unnecessarily, to pollution which causes around 10,000 early deaths and countless childhood breathing and developmental problems in London alone. Nobody's talking about the occasional campfire, but the increase in woodburners is a massive environmental health problem - is wanting clean air to breathe "a bridge too far"?

[SoozieW]

redjam Wrote:

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> Blimey, you lot are miserable. I love the smell of

> wood smoke and barbecues on summer evenings; they

> smell of summer to me. It's not like it happens

> all the time - it's a seasonal thing. Does no one

> else love sitting round a real campfire with a

> group of friends when camping or having a family

> barbecue on a Sunday night?

>

> And yes, yes, I get the environmental concern but

> I already feel guilty about so many things (and

> generally try to live a good, eco life) that this

> one seems a bridge too far. It's burning wood, for

> god's sake! Humans have been doing it for

> millennia!

So us lot not liking what you love makes us miserable? I agree with the OP. Guess I'm miserable then.

[kibris]

Buy one yourself or close the window,same here i love the smell of wood and barbecues thats what summer is for

[edcam]

Ditto. What a bunch of sad moaners.

[rendelharris]

edcam Wrote:

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> Ditto. What a bunch of sad moaners.

Yeah, down with clean air! Saddoes.

[edcam]

I don't believe the odd use of a fire pit has much of an effect.

rendelharris Wrote:

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> edcam Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Ditto. What a bunch of sad moaners.

>

> Yeah, down with clean air! Saddoes.

[fruityloops]

edcam Wrote:

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> Ditto. What a bunch of sad moaners.

agreed... get a grip

[Nigello]

Kind of related: Peckham Rye had an ice cream van (diesel) with its engine running today. I am guessing it would be like that for the duration of its being there. The van in Dulwich Park is electric; it parks up near a power point close to the car park entrance. Ice cream is great but should all Southwark parks demand vans there be electric. If so, should the council provide the power as an incentive? Seems odd that an environmental asset - a park as beautiful as Peckham Rye should allow, even encourage, such pollution.

[Jules-and-Boo]

we've had this on the forum before.

I suggest proactively writing to the park wardens.

Also....perhaps stopping all thh cars who drive into the park.

[Louisa]

I think it's disgusting that the rest of us have to put up with groups of loud inconsiderate mostly younger people screaming and shouting and making a nuisance of themselves until late on into summer evenings burning fossil fuels whilst drunk, with little to no consideration for anyone around them. Lots of it going on around the Landells/Barry RD end of ED, and I am have lost the plot more than once with people over it. Why is it I can sit in the garden, get drunk, not make a noise and grab a blanket if I'm cold? No justification for it is needed, selfish nasty and damn right ignorant behaviour. End of.

Louisa.

[fruityloops]

Louisa - great trolling.

What about BBQs?

[Louisa]

fruityloops Wrote:

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> Louisa - great trolling.

>

> What about BBQs?

Never been a fan of BBQ's either. Also, why does a BBQ have to involve fossil fuel burning? You can get gas and electric options! Don't understand the fascination with antipodean style meat preparation. Steamed and slow roasted meat retain far more flavour than being burnt and half cooked on a coal burning heat pit.

No trolling from me, just honesty as ever.

Louisa.

[Mr Django Wisteria]

I really don't understand the mentality of:

a) not using dry wood & minimizing smoke

b) not being considerate with neighbours

c) not keeping a firepit well away from windows if possible

d) people who drone on about how gas & propane are better than wood

I'm an outdoors man & knowing how to start a fire is an important survival skill, the others ie lighting gas & using a firelighter all pale into insignificance on that score.

As a general comment: I was on a Climate Change panel with Jeremy Corbyn at my university so I do have an idea what is a problem (that contributes towards poor quality air) in the city ie working people being in urban areas in their millions demanding all types of resources which are unsustainable and generally farting about.