According to The Guardian, “wood banks” have grown to be more important sources of heating fuel for individuals living on low- and fixed incomes as methane gas heating expenses are predicted to be 28% higher than last winter.
Methane gas is used to heat around half of American homes, rendering those families particularly susceptible to price shocks brought on by gas exports and geopolitical events. In addition to the numerous other unofficial facilities managed by neighborhood charities and community organizations, there are more than 100 official wood banks in the United States.
When they should be using cleaner sources to heat their homes, Tony Aman, an arborist, and co-founder of Maine’s Downeast Wood Bank in 2021 said he felt guilty about providing firewood. But it can be quite challenging to pay that conversion when you’re strapped for cash, especially if you’re poor or disabled.
Since 2019, 80,000 heat pumps have been installed in qualified homeowners’ homes in Maine under a program that covers the cost of a heat pump.
According to The Guardian:
Wood banks can help local ecosystems by preventing the waste of wood that otherwise wouldn’t be used for commercial purposes. According to Jessica Leahy, an associate professor of forestry at the University of Maine, many of the problems caused by climate change are actually possibilities for wood banks.
The emerald ash borer, browntail moths, eastern tent caterpillar, and other insects have spread throughout Maine’s forests and killed hardwood trees like oak and ash.
Trees from affected locations cannot be transported to Maine due to quarantine regulations. However, wood banks are a practical regional option for providing low-income households with firewood from these immovable, dying trees.
Read More: What Is the Most Sustainable Way to Make Coffee? The Answer Might Surprise You.
To Delve Farther Further:
In the Guardian
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