Should Log Fires Be Banned?

by Archie Brown

On a winter’s evening, when it's dark and cold outside, there's nothing better than sitting by the fire, in your cosy living room, with a mug of hot chocolate in your hand, watching the flames cackle and dance. The smoky scent, the warm glow; it's delightful to have on those ice-cold winter nights. But, is it so delightful for the environment? Recently, environmental campaigners have said that there should be stricter rules on log fires. This is because the burning wood causes air pollution and produces harmful gases.

So, the question is, should people be allowed to use log fires??

The warmth of a log fire, building a calm, snug atmosphere in the room, is unmatchable. It's not just the warmth, but also the movement and colour of the flames, the crackling of the wood as it burns, and even the smell. Furthermore, scientists have published a study that shows sitting by a fire makes people less stressed and can lower their blood pressure. This means they are good for people's wellbeing. Finally, in this age of cripplingly high energy bills and the cost of living crisis, fires lower peoples' heating bills, as they do not have to turn the heating on. 

Conversely, burning wood releases carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. Many believe that people should be trying to protect the planet, not harm it. Also, many health conditions are negatively impacted by air pollution, like heart and lung disease and asthma. In any event, in this modern world, almost all homes in the first world have working central heating systems.  

To conclude, I believe that log fires should be limited to perhaps once or twice a week per household. Whilst I do love a good log fire, I can't argue with the fact that it massively impacts the environment and plays a key role in global warming.