If you source your logs or wood pellets locally, a wood stove is virtually carbon neutral. Submit them below and be sure to check back and tune in. But if a tree is left to die and decompose, Bowyer said, “the decay process is exactly the reverse of photosynthesis.”, 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.”. We’re answering these pressing questions on climate on the air and online. A lot of that gets taken care of in the winter. The flipside is that wood fires produce vast quantities of particulate matter, tiny fragments of soot like those emitted by diesel cars. 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. ", If it didn't come here, it might end up in a landfill, he said. Jeff Guillemette, biomass fuel manager for Ever-Green Energy, said it’s been a busy fall, but trees are recycled all year round. These contribute to climate change but can also cause breathing problems or even cancer in humans. The flipside is that wood fires produce vast quantities of particulate matter, tiny fragments of soot like those emitted by diesel cars. Is heating with wood carbon neutral?— Russ Myers, St. Paul. "Wood is a renewable resource, assuming that the forests that the wood is taken from are managed sustainably,” Bowyer said. The theory was that nature would reabsorb the carbon dioxide released by burning, yielding a net balance of zero. How much carbon is released by burning firewood compared to letting the same tree decompose in the woods? 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 fossil fuels like natural gas, propane, and coal. 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. A worker scoops tree branches into a 1,000-horsepower tub grinder at Environmental Wood Supply in St. Paul on Tuesday. “It's been a busy fall,” he said, adding that tree companies and city crews bring in plenty of trees in the winter, too. Burning wood is considered carbon-neutral because it does not increase the amount of carbon dioxide (a regularly occurring molecule but also a greenhouse gas) cycling through the atmosphere. Listen to some of the brightest names in science and technology talk about the ideas and breakthroughs shaping our world. Why do I feel angsty and cabin fever-y if I’m inside for more than a few hours? 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 fact the logic is pretty simple. Climate Curious: Is burning wood for heat carbon neutral? In urban areas particularly, wood-burning stoves are therefore not the greenest choice. Carbon is continually cycling through all living plants and animals. Stoves can be a very sustainable form of energy, but wood fires produce some less-than-green side effects. The thought experiment: What is the carbon footprint of an email? While advocates of wood burning argue that sustainably harvested wood is "carbon neutral," recent research suggests that many of the climate benefits of burning … By clicking “sign up” you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. These contribute to climate change but can also cause breathing problems or even cancer in humans. As part of photosynthesis, trees take in carbon dioxide, release oxygen and produce sugars. Got a question you’re dying to ask? Wood Burning Stoves: Carbon Neutral . 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? What is THE most important thing a person can do to fight climate change? Are wood-burning stoves environmentally friendly? The trees are ground into chips that are then trucked to the St. Paul District Energy plant and burned to supply heating and cooling to downtown buildings. Is it more environmentally friendly to buy a fake Christmas tree, or a real one? “Those sugars move down the trunk of the tree. Donate today. But decomposing trees do give off carbon dioxide, and so does burning firewood. Can we filter greenhouse gases from the atmosphere? The wood is considered waste, said Jeff Guillemette, biomass fuel manager for Ever-Green Energy, which operates the plant. Carbon is continually cycling through all living plants and animals. 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. Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences. It is also true that most people enjoy wood burning stoves because of the very real comfort and ‘cosiness’ factor that they provide. But it wouldn’t be a good thing if all of us switched out our natural gas furnaces for wood furnaces. Unfortunately, it's not quite that simple. A gift of $17 makes a difference. “We'll have projects that are going on, [like] emerald ash borer removal. To wood-burn or not to wood-burn? Welcome to Climate Curious, where we answer your most pressing questions about climate change, from the complicated to the too-afraid-to-ask. This fact alone is attracting many to wood burning stoves. Individual donations are behind the clarity in coverage from our reporters across the state, stories that connect us, and conversations that provide perspectives. Trucks dump tree trunks and limbs into a pile at Environmental Wood Supply in St. Paul Tuesday. Some tree removal, such as for emerald ash borer, happens in the winter, providing fuel for the District Energy power plant that heats buildings in downtown St. Paul. A mob of mobula rays wins Ocean Photography Awards 2020. Still have questions about climate change? Trees, of course, don't live forever. How much would the Enbridge Line 3 pipeline increase the temperature of the Earth if it does what it is designed to do? And under the right conditions, he said, cities can consider wood as a sustainable energy source, too. Wood-burning stoves offer a low-carbon alternative to heating your home using fossil fuels. Pollutionwatch: wood burning is not climate friendly Burning wood releases more CO 2 than gas, oil and even coal for the same amount of heat, so to make it climate neutral … 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 … For more information about how to do this, and how Immediate Media Company Limited (publisher of Science Focus) holds your personal information, please see our privacy policy. Share it here. Those sugars are converted to wood," Bowyer said. 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 … In urban areas particularly, wood-burning stoves are therefore not the greenest choice. What is the actual date of no return on climate change? "As a tree grows, it captures carbon dioxide from the air, water moves up the trunk. The tree branches come from all over the Twin Cities metro area and are considered waste that is then burned for energy. Ask a climate expert, with MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner and reporter Elizabeth Dunbar. Water and carbon dioxide combine in the presence of sunlight, and in the leaves, the process of photosynthesis takes place," he said. What's the difference between weather and climate? 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. If you source your logs or wood pellets locally, a wood stove is virtually carbon neutral. The study analyzed so-called stationary bioenergy systems based on heat from wood-burning stoves and from wood biomass-based district heating. "Eventually it's going to break down, it's going to create heat.". Help ensure MPR remains a resource that brings Minnesotans together. Burning wood is considered carbon-neutral because it does not increase the amount of carbon dioxide (a regularly occurring molecule but also a greenhouse gas) cycling through the atmosphere. Now it’s our turn. The plant also uses natural gas, but wood is the primary fuel source. Does climate change make predicting the weather more difficult? Look out for your Lunchtime Genius newsletter in your inbox soon. Trees absorb carbon dioxide as they grow, which is returned to the atmosphere when their wood is burned. "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. You make MPR News possible. 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. 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. Thanks! Save 52% when you subscribe to BBC Science Focus Magazine. University of Minnesota professor emeritus Jim Bowyer is an expert in the type of analysis that involves calculating the emissions of certain actions. Wood — unlike oil, coal and natural gas — is not considered a fossil fuel. What are the best carbon-capturing trees to plant? And trees, he said, have a significant relationship with CO2, one of the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. What’s not to like about wood burning stoves? 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. Save 52% when you subscribe to BBC Science Focus Magazine. Already have an account with us? Pay by Direct Debit and get 52% off an annual subscription*, Receive every issue delivered direct to your door with FREE UK delivery. You can unsubscribe at any time. Discover our latest special editions covering a range of fascinating topics from the latest scientific discoveries to the big ideas explained. Perhaps the best example is in St. Paul, where a wood recycling yard southeast of downtown collects tree trunks and limbs from across the Twin Cities, shreds them into chips and sends those wood chips to the St. Paul District Energy plant, which heats and cools downtown buildings and the State Capitol complex. 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 … Burning wood is a carbon-neutral activity. PLUS a free mini-magazine for you to download and keep. 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