Paul Herman on thu 4 sep 03
Hello all,
On the subject of global warming and woodfiring, I would like to remind
you all of a few things.
Burning wood or biomass does not contribute to global warming. The
carbon compounds released by burning wood came from the atmosphere.
Trees get their carbon from air. The carbon compounds released by your
gas fired kiln or car come from fossil fuels, which have been locked up
underground for millions of years. There is a huge difference.
When you fire your electric kiln, especially in the NE US (or France),
you produce nuclear waste. It probably seems real clean there in your
studio, as you fire with your vent fan on, to remove those toxic fumes.
Down there in southern Nevada (my home state), things are looking dirty.
Howdy there, Phil Poburka!
In 10,000 years or so, the stainless steel cannisters of nuclear waste
will start to leak. The groundwater will carry the poison west under the
Amargosa Valley, through the Funeral range (how poetic), and come to the
surface through springs on the east side of Death Valley, at Furnace
Creek and other places. More poetry, eh? How convenient, to just shunt
the poison off on future generations.
So if any of you have been fretting about "dirty" of wood firing, I
would suggest that you get in front of a mirror, and take a good hard
look at yourselves. I think there is dirt on your face.
Best wishes,
Paul Herman
Great Basin Pottery
423-725 Scott Road
Doyle, California 96109 US
potter@psln.com
----------
>From: Vince Pitelka
>> How many of you woodfirers are planting trees?
>> Global Warming affects us all.
>> Effect, just for the sake of it, is a bit poncey, no ?
>
> Pat -
> The above is an old and tired arguement, because the results gained by
> woodfiring are so extraordinary, and are available by no other means. You
> do far more damage to the environment by driving your car than the
> wood-firer does by occasionally firing her/his kiln. And the woodfirer
> produces beautiful objects which enrich peoples lives. It is a very small
> price to pay for the product, and there are so many other ways to help the
> environment. Most woodfirers I know are conscientious environmentalists.
John Baymore on sun 7 sep 03
So if any of you have been fretting about "dirty" of wood firing, I
would suggest that you get in front of a mirror, and take a good hard
look at yourselves. I think there is dirt on your face.
Paul and all,
Good posting.
If you go back into the CLAYART archives from years and YEARS ago, whenev=
er
this subject comes up (and it does repeatedly), you will see my pretty
vehement detailed thoughts on the so-called "clean" electric kiln subject=
. =
Too much stuff to repost here and clutter the list. You got the nuclear
part dead right. Also............. if it is not that manner of electric
generation then it is typically a coal fired power plant with it's CO2
output and particulate and SOx and NOx and dioxins and such. =
Ain't no free lunch.
And another REAL issue with centeralized electric generation for powering=
ANYTHING is that the conversion of energy is so terribly inefficient
between the raw fuel state and the elements inside the kiln. More energy=
is lost than is available at the end of the wires. In CO2 greenhouse gas=
generation terms you'd be better off burning a fossil fuel right at the
site ..... ala a gas kiln.... than using =
an electric kiln. =
And then there is the WOEFUL level of insulation in the electric kilns th=
at
most people use when compared to the typical site built gas or wood or oi=
l
kiln.
An electric kiln HAS a firebox.... it is just remotely located and hooked=
to the main part of the kiln by wires. The electric kiln is a really goo=
d
NIMBY unit . =
I have no problem with electric kiln firers........ but they are not
somehow "above" or "better than" the gas or oil or wood kiln firers when =
it
comes to the environment. We all pollute and we all consume resources. =
Each just does it differently and in different places. =
best,
.......................john
"Who has soot on his face "
John Baymore
River Bend Pottery
22 Riverbend Way
Wilton, NH 03086-5812 USA
JBaymore@compuserve.com
http://www.JohnBaymore.com
603-654-2752 (studio)
800-900-1110 (studio)
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