So you don't think that the whole idea is a set up from the Natural Gas Industry and its projected profit from day one? They have been pouring PR dollar through the Sierra Club, the corrupted John Beale and Robert Brenner run EPA air quality dept. and the American Lung Association. Sounds outlandish, yet there is evidence that that sponsorship relationship happened. How many carbon monoxide deaths have occurred from natural gas compared to a wood fuelled system? Isn't methane fairly serious too? Don't asthmatics react to natural gas too? How roughly estimated, and roughly compared are your risks that you preach from naturally formed 'particulate matter'? What is safer about natursl gas emissions trapped inside an inversion? Why, for heat would anyone swap to a commercialised, economised - politisised, market floppy 'apparently cleaner' fossil fuel when they could use a fuel many times more sustainable, and in it's production no doubtedly 'cleaner'.

Wood Heatmaker is clearly suffering from the Fireplace Delusion - www.samharris.org/blog/item/the-fireplace-delusion

The UN Environment Program (UNEP), the World Meteorological Association (WMO) and the American Lung Association all offer impartial advice that people should switch to clean heating instead of burning wood. It's a classic case of trying to shoot the messenger instead of listening to what is said.

The American Lung Association urges the public to avoid wood burning and to consider cleaner burning alternatives. Burning wood emits harmful toxins and fine particles into the air that can worsen asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). “Breathing particle pollution – or soot –can shorten life and send those most at risk to the emergency room,” said Kari Nadeau, MD, PhD www.lung.org/associations/states/california/for-the-media/american-lung-association-in-16.html

The UNEP/WMO also recommend phasing out log-burning heaters in developed countries to reduce climate change as well as improve health - woodsmoke.3sc.net/greenhouse

Oh I just love comments like Woody's.

Fireplaces are very, very inefficient ways to heat a room. Heat rises, and most of the heat goes up the chimney with the smoke.

BTW, thanx, Woody, for your part in making my asthma so severe this winter that I had to spend five days in the hospital--something that hadn't happened to me since 2006.

The forecast is for several days of rain this week. If you want to light a fire, do it while it is raining. Thank you.

We don't need that much gas either. When gas came to our city in 1978, we all rushed to convert to gas, which cleaned up the air. Then in the 90's many of us rushed to put in all sorts of gas units. I added a $3500 unit to our solarium, used it once, since it was on an outside wall, and haven't used it since. ONE TIME in over 20 years, how stupid. I also disconnected the gas unit in the downstairs family room a few years back,... it was totally unused. I plugged up all the old chimneys with insulation and caps. Now we have a high efficiency unit that vents to the side, takes out the water, a DC motor, and programmable thermostat.... set to 65F often, no problem. How can gas be so toxic like some claim? Look up basic chemistry! I can breathe in the heat from that side vent, not like wood smoke! Home heat in Palo Alto, California, 1000 of kms below northern Canada and they need heat? Get real!

When will Asian countries fall into compliance with our Spare The Air days?

Web Link

I do not burn wood in my fireplace - the smoke would go up the chimney as well as smudge the front of the fireplace.
Good idea - I put is an expandable candle holder that would typically be used as a center piece. Holds six candles - three bigger in back and three shorter in front. This looks great when lit and okay when not lit. Color of candles matching the holidays.