Editor:
In September, West Kelowna fire chief Jason Brolund stood up at the United Nations in New York to speak about his experience fighting massive wildfires, where he described the “toughest three days” of his career and urged leaders to think about how to act to prevent worsening climate disasters.
Last week, I received a public notice from my local volunteer fire chief that the provincial Category 1 campfire and 2/3 open fire bans had been lifted. It read like an invitation to a party. “The following are now permitted: open burning, burning barrels, campfires, tiki torches, fireworks and exploding rifle targets!” I admit that a lot of these sound like a lot of fun, but if we are going to reduce our carbon emissions, isn’t it wise to save our CO2 budget for the really fun stuff and cut back on the activities that produce the most pollution, i.e. open burning and burning barrels. We could also reduce the number of false calls our volunteer firefighters answer.
Most yard waste is better off composted, mulched, or recycled. One kilogram (2.2 lbs) of yard waste wood holds about 1.6 kg (3.5 lbs) of CO2, depending on species, age, etc. This is how forests act as carbon sinks. On the other hand, burning this wood releases that 1.6 kg (3.5 lbs) of CO2 into the atmosphere. Further, open burns of wood, leaves and grass resemble wildfire smoke, which is increasingly linked to health problems. Even the methane emissions from simply letting your brush compost are much less than burning it in one roaring blaze.
A few alternatives to burning yard waste: chip and mulch wood around trees to help retain moisture; compost leaf litter for the garden; recycle paper and cardboard and create a brush pile habitat for beneficial insects.
I call on my fellow Sunshine Coast residents to join Brolund’s leadership and spread the message of the alternatives to burning throughout the community, by word of mouth wherever and whenever you can.
Nicholas Scapillati
Kalpalin, shíshálh–Pender Harbour, BC
