Undoubtedly, your grandparent’s old, charred, black wood-burning stove had a certain charm, romance and aura surrounding it; however, did it offer any additional benefits? Yes. That wood-burning stove creates far less harm to the environment … here is why.
Such stoves burned wood for heat and wood remains as one of our planet’s most available renewable energy resources – it is readily available. Through a natural cyclical process, trees grow, trees are chopped down and trees grow again. All you need is a sharp axe, some muscle and some time to chop up a pile of firewood.
Burning wood, unlike burning fossil fuels, releases carbon dioxide. This is a “healthy” gas, which plants, animals and human beings rely on to live. The escaping carbon dioxide from that pot-bellied stove is captured by young, growing trees which need this to remain healthy and strong.
Burning wood saves energy. While it’s easy enough to adjust your home furnace’s thermostat a few degrees to offer more warmth, you will pay for this through monthly heating bills. Comparatively, heating a room with a wood-burning stove costs you nothing – which of these choices is easier on your own budget?
Wood-burning stoves can continue to work during power outages. There’s a good reason why homeowners are urged to keep candles and matches handy, just in case. A candle can be counted on to provide both light and some heat when needed. Similarly, your stove will always work … throw a few more logs inside, stoke the ashes and you can have fire in seconds.
So, before you think to just haul off that old stove to the dump, think again. Is there a chilly corner in your own home? Are your heating bills excessive? Would you like to help the fight against global warming? Recycle your grandparent’s stove instead – you’ll be keeping some precious family memories alive and keeping our Earth cleaner as well!
