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xchrom

(108,903 posts)
Fri Jan 13, 2012, 12:26 PM Jan 2012

Simple measures -- Cutting emissions of methane and soot would save lives, scientists say

http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx

***snip

The climate-change debate has centered on carbon dioxide, a gas that wafts in the atmosphere for decades, trapping heat. But in recent years, scientists have pointed to two other, shorterterm pollutants — methane and soot, also known as black carbon — that drive climate change.

Slashing emissions of these twin threats would be a “winwin-win” for climate, human health and agriculture, said NASA climate scientist Drew Shindell, who led the study appearing in the journal Science. “Even if you don’t believe climate change is a problem, these things are worth doing.”

Previous studies have noted the benefits of reducing methane and soot. But the new study looked at the specific effect of about 400 actions policymakers could take. Of those, just 14 interventions — such as eliminating wood-burning stoves, dampening emissions from diesel vehicles and capturing methane released from coal mines — would offer big benefits.

“They’re all things we know how to do and have done; we just haven’t done them worldwide,” said Shindell, who works at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York.
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Simple measures -- Cutting emissions of methane and soot would save lives, scientists say (Original Post) xchrom Jan 2012 OP
I build wood heating stoves and have for years madokie Jan 2012 #1
Do you do a form of pyrolysis? AlecBGreen Jan 2012 #4
See also… OKIsItJustMe Jan 2012 #2
There are a number of efforts to improve wood and other biomass stoves ... eppur_se_muova Jan 2012 #3

madokie

(51,076 posts)
1. I build wood heating stoves and have for years
Fri Jan 13, 2012, 01:25 PM
Jan 2012

I use a gasifier with a secondary combustion chamber and it is efficient enough for me to maybe have a two gallon can of ashes after the winter is over where I've burned a couple 4X8 stacks of wood. Anyways my point is I was helping this cause long before it was popular
complete burn results in very little ashes, no soot and no particulates expelled in the air. Just a warm stove with a clean exhaust stream.

AlecBGreen

(3,874 posts)
4. Do you do a form of pyrolysis?
Fri Jan 13, 2012, 10:03 PM
Jan 2012

i.e. burning wood anaerobically?

"I use a gasifier with a secondary combustion chamber..."

If you could point me to a link or diagram, anything, etc I would be much obliged. I am fascinated with pyrolysis and think it has a real future. Thanks!

eppur_se_muova

(36,227 posts)
3. There are a number of efforts to improve wood and other biomass stoves ...
Fri Jan 13, 2012, 01:58 PM
Jan 2012
http://www.appropedia.org/Improved_cook_stoves

http://www.rocketstove.org/

The Rocket Stove has been discussed on DU a bit ...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/searchresults.html?q=rocket+stove&sitesearch=democraticunderground.com&domains=democraticunderground.com&client=pub-7805397860504090&forid=1&ie=ISO-8859-1&oe=ISO-8859-1&cof=GALT%3A%23008000%3BGL%3A1%3BDIV%3A%23336699%3BVLC%3A663399%3BAH%3Acenter%3BBGC%3AFFFFFF%3BLBGC%3A336699%3BALC%3A0000FF%3BLC%3A0000FF%3BT%3A000000%3BGFNT%3A0000FF%3BGIMP%3A0000FF%3BFORID%3A11&hl=en

These all seem to be low-key, more or less grassroots efforts, without the kind of publicity that big gov't programs get. Maybe that's a good thing in some ways, but it would help if people could get the word out about these sooner rather than later.

NB: The main advantage advertised is the enormous savings in fuel, which helps combat deforestation, and saves time otherwise spent foraging for wood. But they also produce very little soot, an advantage whose importance was recognized only after the fact -- in terms of both respiratory health and climate impact.
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