Fight denial in yourself and others. Talk about it! Silence is denial. Neighborhood smoke peaks at midnight, fight pajama'd passivity, put "work to stop wood burning" on your daily list of activities. Non burners are the majority. There are powerful lobbyists who are paid to work every day to suppress science about health effects and the right to clean air. Burning abuses will end when we admit that the friendly fire is not your friend. Burning abuses will end when we can see recreational combustion as ritualized murder. Burning abuses will end when we demand that farmers bale field debris rather than burn it. We need to look hydrocarbon addiction straight in the eyes. Burning abuses will end when government and health groups stop telling us not what we want to hear but what we need to know.
There will be no solution to wood smoke health effects until a critical mass of the public realizes and becomes indignant at the injury they are suffering and demands "No Burn Zones". Like the cigarette, only a few people cause wood smoke. Most of the rest, 80 to 90%, are innocent victims. Victims of this environmental pollution come from all cultural and economic groups however, the young, the elderly, the chronically ill and those temporarily incapacitated due to infection, an accident, or a medical operation are at the highest immediate risk. "No Smoke Please!" has to become a legal feasibility in our lifetime to protect us all.
When we the public request help from our government, we are held at bay by dozens of intermediaries.
Billboard: Burning Issues billboard was removed due to pressure on the advertising company by a large PA wood stove retailer.
Example Radiation and baby teeth Wood burning creates radio active particles. This is not acknowledged on this site.
Report claims dioxin not in wood: burning regular wood creates dioxins, see Dioxin reports.
American Lung Association lets us down.
Even candle sellers have a lobbist. The National Candle Association's
Valerie Cooper says the concerns are
overstated because the highest level of particulates was seen
only when the candles smoldered. USA Today 8/13/01
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