Does using a wood burner reduce my carbon footprint?
The CO2 released by burning wood was originally in the atmosphere, taken in by the tree as it grew. The same amount is released as was taken in and then another tree will take it out of the air. It recycles, there is no net gain or loss. That is why bio-fuels are a good idea. Burning wood is, on a long time scale, carbon neutral. Taran Wanderer is wrong because she takes a very short-term view of CO2 emissions. You emit CO2 when you breathe and in order to keep breathing, instead of freezing, you emit a greater quantity of CO2 by burning wood. She sounds like one who would ban fire and tax breathing in a misguided and unsuccessful attempt to prevent Climate Change. You saved money and used wood that would still have put CO2 into the air as it decayed, so you could stay warm. Forget the stupid carbon footprint and simply try to live as comfortably and cheaply as possible. Use passive solar collectors to heat water, build an underground or earth-sheltered house and build a solar steam ge
