Tag Archives: Wood stoves

Environment

Hot topic: Residents concerned about impact of wood stove smoke on health, environment

Editor’s note: While this story comes from the Comox Valley, the subject matter is of definite interest to Cortes and the other Discovery Islands. For most of our recorded history, wood fires have been the #1 heating choice on Cortes Island. A significant number of residents have switched to electric, heat pumps, or solar panels in the past few years. According to the Strathcona Regional District Engagement Summary Report, “In Electoral Areas A, B (Cortes), and C (primarily Quadra and the Outer Islands), about 50% used wood heat and 40% used electric with the remaining 10% using an alternative.“

By Madeline Dunnett, The Discourse,  Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Community members in the Comox Valley are calling for more education, awareness and tightened regulations related to wood-burning stove use in the region.

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Environment

Cash rebates encourage residents to switch from wood stoves, reducing air pollution

By Greg Osoba, CKTZ News, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca

Vancouver Island’s Strathcona Regional District (SRD), in partnership with the BC Lung Association, has evolved its wood stove exchange program. It now offers rebates, ranging from $300-$750, for upgrading stoves to less polluting, more efficient models and converting to natural gas or pellet sources—or to heat pumps—in an effort to reduce air pollution. The program is underway and runs through until the end of 2022.

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Cost of Climate Change

The launch of Cortes CPR (Climate Plan for Resilience)

The official launch of Cortes CPR (Climate Plan for Resilience) took place just days ago.  (They were talking about it last January.)

“We’ve put out our new Facebook page and an introductory letter to the community in the Tideline. We’re really trying to get the ball going because we’ve done a lot of preliminary research and organizing behind the scenes,  but now we want to get it out that we are working on this plan,” said spokesperson Ashley Zarbatany.

“We’re looking to partner with different organizations. We’re going to be reaching out to stakeholders and rights holders and we are also looking for volunteers for our data collections team.”

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Environment

A Climate Action Plan for Cortes Island

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“What exactly do we need to do as a community to survive, and thrive, through what is coming. Through the climate crisis; through climate breakdown; to mitigate as much as possible so that we can forego the extreme worst case scenarios and avoid them,”  said Ashley Zarbatany.

Continue reading A Climate Action Plan for Cortes Island →