Page 20 | Wood burner ban...

BusyGreySnail · 2026-11-12T16:16:00+00:00

Apparently there is a call for wood burners to be banned. They are bad for air quality, inside and out, and bad for the environment. I assume it's the same for fireplaces, but I don't know. What about all this talk of black outs, and vulnerable critical infastructure and preparedness, should that factor in? If we really are at risk, people having an alternative source of heat is quite a good idea. Do you have one?

IAxolotlQuestions · Yesterday 20:00

Greenismyfavouritecolournow · Yesterday 13:34

If you want to ban stoves can we also ration diesel / petrol and air miles? They pollute the air too. I mean, it should be a group effort ?

😁

my SIL disapproves of my log burner, but flies long haul multiple times a year for holidays 👀

JohnofWessex · Today 09:04

Gooseinthewood · Yesterday 19:39

My biggest learning curve here is that I had no idea that there were people who didn't enjoy the smell of woodsmoke/ coal. I can't think of many things I love more than the smoky smell.

There are also a lot of people on this site with precisely zero interest in Airships ................

Whammyammy · Today 09:09

GoodGirlFaith · 12/11/2026 16:41

My chimney sweep always tries to convince me that a wood burner would be better but I will not change my open fire. I only use it for effect, really, on at most 10 nights a winter. It is handy when there's a problem with the boiler, or a power cut, though!

Same. Our sweep says the same... funny old thing is he does installations. I love the open fire, so cosy on a cold day to have it going. We burn logs, coal and heat logs. We have some woman posting on the village Facebook site telling us were all monsters for having fires as she has asthma...

Spiderx · Today 09:21

LiberteLynx · Yesterday 09:03

My chain smoking grandmother died in her 80s without emphysema or lung cancer. There are always a few that beat the odds.

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Aah yes, but she may have lived to her 90s or even 100s if she hadn't smoked. Bad logic !

Spiderx · Today 09:31

SnowflakesandSlippers · Yesterday 16:46

To be fair, I'm not sure dh is going to manage a 130 mile cycle or walk!

If we can all choose something to ban I'll go with alcohol, neither of us drink it so it won't affect us.

Edited

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Nah, it's gotta be cigarettes and vapes and throw in domestic pets too 👍

LongTallTally · Today 09:41

IAxolotlQuestions · Yesterday 20:00

😁

my SIL disapproves of my log burner, but flies long haul multiple times a year for holidays 👀

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Mumsnet just loves to find a hypocrite to prove that no-one should do anything at all to protect the environment. It's as if the fact that some people don't do everything is a good reason for nobody to do anything.

And it's as if people can't understand there are actually quite a lot of people who are doing what they can. Minimising flying and driving, reducing consumption, make do and mending, reducing plastic use, rarely or never eating meat - because they care about the environment and worry about the world they are leaving to their children.

None of us are perfect because it would be a joyless and probably impossible existence to live a perfectly pure environmentally pristine life. But it is possible to want to make a small difference and there are some people who are quite consistent in doing that.

FOJN · Today 11:50

LongTallTally · Today 09:41

Mumsnet just loves to find a hypocrite to prove that no-one should do anything at all to protect the environment. It's as if the fact that some people don't do everything is a good reason for nobody to do anything.

And it's as if people can't understand there are actually quite a lot of people who are doing what they can. Minimising flying and driving, reducing consumption, make do and mending, reducing plastic use, rarely or never eating meat - because they care about the environment and worry about the world they are leaving to their children.

None of us are perfect because it would be a joyless and probably impossible existence to live a perfectly pure environmentally pristine life. But it is possible to want to make a small difference and there are some people who are quite consistent in doing that.

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I think this is correct. Some people seem to think it's essential that we all change the same things to be more environmentally conscious but that's just not practical or particularly helpful in encouraging people to change the things they can.

I don't use a tumble dryer but I'm not about to tell someone who has two children and lives in a flat with no outside space that they shouldn't either. If you live rurally 8 miles from your childs school where the roads don't get plowed and you experience frequent power cuts you are probably going to choose a 4 wheel drive petrol or diesel car over a compact electric car. If you live 2 miles from work and 5 minutes from your childs school in a town or city an electric car could work well.

Fibrous · Today 20:14

OneHazelBird · 12/11/2026 17:23

I need to know more about your wonderful house!! 🥰😂

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Thanks! It’s a 1930s bungalow built on a big hill in the Peak District, completely surrounded by woodland. It’s lovely! We got it for the same price as a pretty standard new build in our area as it was a probate property and it had been minimally maintained for twenty years as the lady who lived here was widowed fairly early. We absolutely love it! Living within trees is magical. You feel like you are part of the woodland.

TunnocksOrDeath · Today 20:59

NotAnotherScarf · 12/11/2026 16:46

So all the wood i burn that costs me nothing and instead would release its carbon anyway and I am not using fossil fuels means that im bad for the environment.?

Wood burning is exceptionally 'dirty' compared with gas. Burning gas is very low on actual particulates, and very low on nitrogen oxides.
Wood-burning produces huge amounts of particulates; partially because of the low-temperature that wood burns at in a domestic burner, and partially because of the other compounds in the wood. It's all to do with the chemistry.