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Burning Controversy
Burning wood may be a natural, affordable alternative to fuels like oil or gas, but in Maine, outdoor wood boilers have ignited a controversy. The issue is the smoke they send up the chimney, and what’s in it.
With the price of oil soaring, an increasing number of homeowners are installing outdoor wood boilers to heat their homes. In Maine, where wood is plentiful, and burning wood is a tradition, smoke from the devices ignited a firestorm of controversy, pitting neighbor against neighbor. Living on Earth host Bruce Gellerman investigates the case for and against outdoor wood boilers.