patrick.net

I was thinking burning wood was using a renewable energy source and good for everybody. The things you learn about the Bay Area that go against its so-called "green" stance.

Being in New Hampshire I know all about catalytic converters for wood stoves. they are fine if:
1) you are OK with staying awake nights to watch for chimney fires
2) you like to spend $500/year on a new converter when you get your stove and chimney swept
3) you like back-puffing (in effect an explosive sudden burning of smoke that has built-up in the firebox... think of how a piston works... suddenly all those gasses fire up at once... generally all that happens is there is a loud boom, the wood stove shakes, smokes gets pushed out of every crack in the thing... usually back puffing once it starts, only occurs rhythmically every 20-30 seconds)
4) you enjoy looking through all your fire starter materials for the odd piece of trash, such as a gum wrapping, that might destroy the converter
5) you like knowing that the converter is making no environmental difference whatsoever, but at least you are keeping a black Soweto miner a slave in a platinum mine