Wood Stoves and Biomass Plants: What Are They Good For?

Why your wood stove might be giving you more than just a warm, fuzzy feeling.

I love a good fire. Who doesn’t?

The dancing flames, the crackling wood, the heady woodsmoke. Fireside stories with old friends. Toasted marshmallows (usually charred to a crisp). Curling up with a book. Simpler times.

Cosying up around the fire is considered an innocent pursuit.

Open fireplaces and wood burning stoves in the home have become a fashion symbol in recent years, a signal of one’s green credentials. They’re fueled by wood, and wood is renewable. Ergo, heating your house with wood must be good for the planet.

In a simple world⁠ — one of cosy, fireside wisdom⁠ — that might be true. But the real world is rarely so simple.

What does woodsmoke smell like to you?

In 2015 I journeyed by bicycle from Mexico to Costa Rica. I saw a lot of things, some beautiful, some sad. I also smelled a lot of things.

When I arrived in Central America, woodsmoke evoked for me those typical, nostalgic feelings we have for wood fires in rich countries…