A gift of $17 makes a difference. A mob of mobula rays wins Ocean Photography Awards 2020. Got a question you’re dying to ask? "On the other hand, if someone's living in a rural area and they have a stand of trees on their land or close by and available, there's no environmental reason not to use that wood as a source of energy,” Bowyer said. The wood is considered waste, said Jeff Guillemette, biomass fuel manager for Ever-Green Energy, which operates the plant. You can unsubscribe at any time. Individual donations are behind the clarity in coverage from our reporters across the state, stories that connect us, and conversations that provide perspectives. And under the right conditions, he said, cities can consider wood as a sustainable energy source, too. Already have an account with us? Subscribe to BBC Focus magazine for fascinating new Q&As every month and follow @sciencefocusQA on Twitter for your daily dose of fun science facts. Carbon is continually cycling through all living plants and animals. These contribute to climate change but can also cause breathing problems or even cancer in humans. What is THE most important thing a person can do to fight climate change? Why do I feel angsty and cabin fever-y if I’m inside for more than a few hours? Stoves can be a very sustainable form of energy, but wood fires produce some less-than-green side effects. What's the difference between weather and climate? Welcome to Climate Curious, where we answer your most pressing questions about climate change, from the complicated to the too-afraid-to-ask. Our readers and listeners have been sending us some terrific questions about climate change — and, in voting rounds, have let us know which questions they are most curious about. You make MPR News possible. A worker scoops tree branches into a 1,000-horsepower tub grinder at Environmental Wood Supply in St. Paul on Tuesday. In urban areas particularly, wood-burning stoves are therefore not the greenest choice. “We'll have projects that are going on, [like] emerald ash borer removal. Those sugars are converted to wood," Bowyer said. A lot of that gets taken care of in the winter. “Those sugars move down the trunk of the tree. These contribute to climate change but can also cause breathing problems or even cancer in humans. Our daily newsletter arrives just in time for lunch, offering up the day's biggest science news, our latest features, amazing Q&As and insightful interviews. Wood burning stoves are cosy, efficient (often three times more so than an open fire) and burning wood can be relatively carbon neutral and sustainable compared to … Save 52% when you subscribe to BBC Science Focus Magazine. If you source your logs or wood pellets locally, a wood stove is virtually carbon neutral. By clicking “sign up” you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. While advocates of wood burning argue that sustainably harvested wood is "carbon neutral," recent research suggests that many of the climate benefits of burning … Save 52% when you subscribe to BBC Science Focus Magazine. Trucks dump tree trunks and limbs into a pile at Environmental Wood Supply in St. Paul Tuesday. But decomposing trees do give off carbon dioxide, and so does burning firewood. So, Guillemette said, why not let it heat up our buildings by burning it in a plant that, unlike your home fireplace, has pollution controls to keep soot out of the air? "Eventually it's going to break down, it's going to create heat.". Wood Burning Stoves: Carbon Neutral . Burning that wood for heat speeds up the process, he said, but it's carbon neutral, as long as it's managed in a way that allows for new growth and new opportunities for carbon absorption. Are wood-burning stoves environmentally friendly? Look out for your Lunchtime Genius newsletter in your inbox soon. Donate today. How much would the Enbridge Line 3 pipeline increase the temperature of the Earth if it does what it is designed to do? Listen to some of the brightest names in science and technology talk about the ideas and breakthroughs shaping our world. The study analyzed so-called stationary bioenergy systems based on heat from wood-burning stoves and from wood biomass-based district heating. And trees, he said, have a significant relationship with CO2, one of the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. How new and existing technology could tap renewable energy, St. Paul's District Energy looks toward renewable energy, the St. Paul District Energy plant, which heats and cools downtown buildings. One way to lock in that carbon capture for the long term is by harvesting a tree for lumber before it decomposes and allowing new trees to grow it its place. Share it here. Can we filter greenhouse gases from the atmosphere? It is also true that most people enjoy wood burning stoves because of the very real comfort and ‘cosiness’ factor that they provide. As part of photosynthesis, trees take in carbon dioxide, release oxygen and produce sugars. How much carbon is released by burning firewood compared to letting the same tree decompose in the woods? Wood-burning stoves offer a low-carbon alternative to heating your home using fossil fuels. He explains: “Water is used by decay fungi, and as the fungi works on the wood, the wood is then converted back to carbon dioxide.” Burning that wood for … Climate Curious: Is burning wood for heat carbon neutral? What’s not to like about wood burning stoves? Discover our latest special editions covering a range of fascinating topics from the latest scientific discoveries to the big ideas explained. In urban areas, burning wood contributes other kinds of pollution that are harmful to people's health, especially the tiny particles in soot that can get into people's lungs. Wood Burning Stoves: Carbon Neutral Despite the fact that it gives off so much carbon dioxide, wood is a carbon-neutral energy source – it may seem counter-intuitive but in … Is it more environmentally friendly to buy a fake Christmas tree, or a real one?