request to avoid log fires today as pollution level high

[McMurphy]

i know it's cold, but let's not make the pollution levels even worse by having log fires today.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jan/13/londoners-told-to-reduce-physical-activity-on-friday-due-to-pollution

[goldilocks]

100% agree. Use your other sources of heating. Yes gas central heating pollutes too, but its no where near as detrimental as burning solid fuel, even in the most 'eco' log burner.

[march46]

Thanks for raising awareness on this. So few people are aware just how dangerous their wood burners are (both to themselves and their neighbours).

Today would be a really good day to avoid driving too, if you want to avoid adding to the dangerous levels of pollution.

[JohnL]

Government also telling us not to exercise too much due to pollution levels if vulnerable - wow they must be high

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jan/13/londoners-told-to-reduce-physical-activity-on-friday-due-to-pollution

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

With hospitals knee-deep in COVID cases, it's not a good day to have an asthma attack or heart attack. Taking it easy for one day seems reasonable. It's not the advice that's shocking - it's the fact that we are normalised to air that breathing it while running is dangerous.

[Siduhe]

This, this, a thousand times this.

I am constantly amazed at the cognitive dissonance of neighbours and friends who are passionate about the state of the environment and London air quality but still light up a wood burner most winter evenings. Having a liner installed may help but in no way offsets the issues with air quality and it?s so noticeable for others if you have an asthma sufferer in your family.

[heartblock]

None of my neighbours in their flats on ED Grove have a log-burner....I wonder where most are in Dulwich?

[macutd]

i thought KILN DRIED LOGS were ok to burn?

[northernmonkey]

No- they aren?t

[goldilocks]

Its a bit like suggesting that cigarettes with filters are better than roll ups. Possibly though both are dreadful for you. The same is true of all types of wood burning and wood burners.

Even the most 'efficient' modern stoves are unlikely to replicate their test burning emissions in real world tests - both too wet and too dry logs have negative effects on emissions, and even 'perfect' ones still release harmful pm2.5 in much greater concentrations than anything else in an urban context.

The most galling thing about woodburning is its entirely avoidable. People have heating, the woodburners are an additional source. The instagram / ideal home type glossy brochures have sold us all a massive lie. Its not cosy its not green and it contributes massively to poor air quality and is harming you and your neighbours.

macutd Wrote:

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> i thought KILN DRIED LOGS were ok to burn?

[Nigello]

To be consistent don?t buy pizza from places thar use wood-burning ovens.

[goldilocks]

Also a fair point - we need all wood burning to stop. But in the meantime - so as not to dilute the very real message here.

Please do not light personal wood burners tonight.

[lilolil]

https://www.southwark.gov.uk/environment/air-quality/about-air-quality/main-causes-of-air-pollution

Useful information

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

goldilocks Wrote:

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> Its a bit like suggesting that cigarettes with

> filters are better than roll ups...

...and then making your neighbours smoke them!

[Nigello]

The REAL problem, ie. one that makes much, much more of an impact, is people buying stuff that they don't need, wasting food, using cars or taxis when really their own two feet could do a much cleaner job of it, having lots of kids, etc. etc. but it is MUCH easier and satisfying to ask a few dozen (at the very most) wood burners in and around a section of SE22 to not light a (pretty likely kiln-dried wood fuelled) fire in their already EU-compliant burners for an hour or three. So, if you are THAT keen on not having pollution, think very, very seriously about pledging to not waste, not drive as much, not have your three planned children and make do with two or one, because those choices will pay off much, much, much better dividends. AND NO FRANCO MANCA PIZZA FOR YOU, FOREVER!

[goldilocks]

Nigello - aside from being utterly wrong - this is neither the time nor the place.

There are not 'a few dozen at the very most' wood burners in SE22 and as per above, it doesn't matter whether or not your wood is kiln dried, its still massively polluting.

Solid fuel burning accounts for huge amounts of pollution in urban areas and its growing and most gallingly its on the increase.

Yes cutting down on consumption is really really important - but even if you do all those things I'd still be wanting people to refrain from burning wood in a period of extreme poor air quality as it has a hyper localised impact.

[redpost]

Nigello Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The REAL problem, ie. one that makes much, much

> more of an impact, is people buying stuff that

> they don't need, wasting food, using cars or taxis

> when really their own two feet could do a much

> cleaner job of it, having lots of kids, etc. etc.

> but it is MUCH easier and satisfying to ask a few

> dozen (at the very most) wood burners in and

> around a section of SE22 to not light a (pretty

> likely kiln-dried wood fuelled) fire in their

> already EU-compliant burners for an hour or three.

> So, if you are THAT keen on not having pollution,

> think very, very seriously about pledging to not

> waste, not drive as much, not have your three

> planned children and make do with two or one,

> because those choices will pay off much, much,

> much better dividends. AND NO FRANCO MANCA PIZZA

> FOR YOU, FOREVER!

I've got one child, don't drive, so please stop burning logs ... they emit massive amounts of pollution and it provokes my asthma something rotten

[rachp]

It?s surprising how little awareness there is on the log-burner issue, I think many people just don?t realise how bad the impact is.

[ab29]

They should be banned.

[tomskip]

This message hasn't reached some of my neighbours :( or maybe they don't care.

[heartblock]

I'm not sure they care - it is a big selling point having a wood-burner. It needs to be made socially unacceptable - as should bloody BBQ's by the way - no need and a huge contribution to poor air quality. Go eat some veg and stop burning dead animals.

[goldilocks]

I think people are willfully ignorant. They've spent a lot on the woodburner, they love the feeling / how cosy it is and frankly don't want to think about how its harmful for them and their neighbours. If you try to give people information on how harmful they are they ignore it or indulge in whataboutery type comments (see above really).

Agree too that charcoal bbqs and firepits also sholdn't be used. If you must bbq then a gas one is preferable to a charcoal one from a localised air pollution perspective (not perfect, but 'better')

[George Orwell]

This should do it instead:

[heartblock]

GSTT charity article on pollution in Southwark and Lambeth.

https://gsttcharity-uk.shorthandstories.com/thecausesofairpollutionininnercities/index.html

[Brideshead]

Plus? What do we do about that irresponsible volcano in the pacific for this extremely serious air pollution issue???

Something must be done!!! Sadiq!!!

Southwark council!!! BBC!!!

Think I need time to lie down?