OWLer
2021-12-24 11:32:30
- #1
1. No, not at all. After its natural death, a tree usually stands around as a skeleton for about 10 years until a storm knocks it down. Then it provides habitat for all kinds of animals and fungi and eventually gets decomposed into "topsoil" or, in a few million years, something like coal. It’s not like a tree just disappears into thin air after dying. About 20 years ago at my parents’ place, we cut down a tree and were too lazy to remove the roots. Until they sold their house, the roots bothered us every summer, until it eventually became the new owners’ problem. 2. The time horizon has to be considered. You didn’t address that. There is a nice open letter with further links under the search term "Scientists response to US advocacy for burning forest biomass," which discusses the short-term to long-term 100-year regrowth period. With those links, one can dig as deep as they want. 3. Is anyone here aware of both ecology and pollution issues? Then it’s possible to discuss burning wood purely for a cozy feeling as pure consumption. To me, that holds the same significance as cruising through downtown in the evening with a V8 and flap exhaust. It stinks, is carcinogenic, and causes lung problems or asthma. I like fire, and when the heating season starts, I still enjoy the faint smell of smoke while walking. But the further the winter goes on, the more annoying it becomes. As humanity, we’ve achieved a lot to no longer depend on burning coal and wood and have clean air. Now we’re destroying that civilizational progress as a pure luxury for individuals and allowing pollutant levels in our residential areas to rise significantly. But also here, as with everything: the dose makes the poison. With a gas fireplace, you have fire, flame, and warmth but relatively environmentally and health-friendly in direct comparison. I don’t want to take anyone’s fireplace away. Occasionally with a glass of red wine? Cool. But every evening? No. I haven’t noticed how much fire is being made in my downtown apartment so far. In the city, never. In the older, more established residential area a few meters away, many stainless steel chimneys have been installed, and it’s really annoying to walk through there. Fortunately, no one here yet has money for that fun, so we get fresh air when airing out.Well, the tree dies even if we don’t cut it down and then releases the same amount of CO2 when it decomposes