Saturday, Feb 14

Welcome to Your Daily Dot where Dot will share tips, advice, and stories on how we can make our world better.

Dear Dot,

I love to curl up with my cat in front of a blazing fire. Is burning wood a better way to warm my home than cranking the thermostat? Are commercial fireplace logs better/worse? Should I consider a gas or electric insert? Please advise as it’s freezing in Northern Michigan. 

– Sunny

Dear Sunny,

While our Neanderthal ancestors (and presumably their cats) were better adapted for cold, they nonetheless had methods to help them stay warm, including wearing fur (PETA hadn’t yet been invented), hibernating, and, of course, fire. Indeed, new research indicates that fire may have kept our species warm for an estimated 800,000 years. 

More recently, we’ve kept ourselves from freezing mostly by burning fossil fuels to power radiators and furnaces. But alongside modern technology, fireplaces and woodstoves maintain a place in our hearts and our homes. According to the Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association, 7 in 10 American homes have some sort of fireplace, wood stove, or insert (more on inserts coming). Whether it’s contained by a ring of rocks in the woods or a small hole in our walls, fire continues to enchant. 

So, Sunny, let’s consider the climate costs of the various options and warm to the best solution.

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