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Smoke
gets in your lungs ....
November, 9, 2009
I feel so exhausted and defeated. I am so sick
of all this smoke.
Several weeks ago I wrote a letter to the neighbor of the smoke polluting OWB.
It was hard to be polite. I kindly asked them to please stop burning. The smoke
was too much and was making us all sick. However, my pleas fell on deaf ears.
The OWB smokes on.
Tonight the wind is mild and blowing in our
direction. That is when it is the smokiest for us. It slowly
sneaks up and down on top of us and settles. The northern
line of pine trees on our property catches the smoke, leaving
it to pool and collect on our property, around our house.
We will not go quietly into the good night
and will continue to fight on. We are working to get more
information out on the streets to make people more aware
of the dangers of breathing wood smoke. We are hoping this
new awareness will bring some more needed attention to this
very important issue. In Oak Grove, there's practically a
wood stove in every pole-barn. There's also folks burning
leaves and lawn debris. On some nights, it's not just the
OWB burning. It can get pretty smokey outside. Many don't
even know what an air inversion means!! So there's got to
be a lot of education that needs to happen before people
will become aware all this smoke is a problem in their communities
- a problem that needs regulation.
It would be a dream come true for someone to
take charge at an Oak Grove City Council meeting and declare
a ban on all OWB devices, due to all the PM2.5 particulate
matter they create. We believe they are already illegal if
you look at the ordinances already in place. We need leadership
who can clearly understand this a problem that has only just
begun and more people will install OWBs in an attempt to
save money. Oak Grove, please ban OWBs before we all get
COPD and die of heart disease. I would love it for OWBs were
to be declared illegal throughout the USA. One can always
dream... Actually, Washington State already banned them,
recognizing that even the SMALLEST OWB hast he potential
to release a ton and a half of cancer causing particle matter
per year!
Since no one seems to care about the health of the community here, we have
decided we need to move elsewhere. We have to save ourselves. Moving will not
be very easy to do. Where do you move where you are assured the air is clear
and will remain smoke free? So far, only about 3 states have prohibited them
from being used. We have thought of moving to those states and selling but
in this economy it is a very risky move to make
We would like to stay in Minnesota, but where
to move? What cities have regulated them? From what I have
been able to find searching, OWBs have been banned in the
MN towns of Morris, New Prague and Burnsville. Who would
have thought a town with the name of Burnsville would outlaw
OWBs?! Additionally, hundreds of towns elsewhere have been
proactive and have set some common sense regulations.
The research is out there but it is not reaching
the ears of the people who need to know. Woodsmoke will make
us all sick eventually, just like cigarettes. The cancer
causing chemicals are the same in wood smoke. It's worst
than cigarettes, as who has 25,000 cigarettes lit at the
same time all day long everyday.
In the old days neighbors could talk things out and they would have cared more
of each others welfare. I don't understand why these days there is such a lack
of compassion.
OCTOBER
19, 2009
RURAL ATMOSPHERE? REALLY?
If YOU are a "wood smoke enthusiast", you have to visit
Oak Grove, Minnesota. On Friday (10/17/09) we watched as one wood/leaves/debris
burner sent up a mass of smoke on a windless day when the AQI
was above 50 for particulate matter. That burner was to our north.
Saturday saw 2 more wood and yard debris burners, to our south
and southwest. We watched our neighbor cut down a pine tree and
immediately set fire to it. The smoke trail was visible for blocks
around Uplander Street. That's just what was visible on our own
property. Put that together with the OWB smoldering 24/7 in our
neighbors back yard, along with a half dozen wood boilers chugging
away non-stop within a mile of our property, and at times our
neighborhood air in Oak Grove looks and smells like something
out of an inner city, factory-filled metropolis or a California
wildfire.
We wanted to walk the dogs Saturday night (10/18/09) and the smoke
was so thick outside our own home we couldn't breathe even with
particle masks on. It clings to our clothing and to the dogs.
So we went over to the Oak Grove City park. It's a few blocks
away. We got out of our car, and the smell of burning wood was
all over the park, too. On still nights like this, you can see
the blue-gray fog around the parking lot lights at City Hall.
Cool, huh? We ended up driving several miles north to another
park, just so we could walk outside without getting a headache
and/or an asthma attack.
Oak Grove is proud to tout it's "rural atmosphere".
They may want to take a serious look at what they are allowing
to happen in this City on an unrestricted unenforced "wild
west" way, because the atmosphere is quickly and noticeably
diminishing.
OCTOBER 16, 2009
Chug... chug... chug....
The wood boiler is back and in full operation as of October
2, 2009. Our air is once again filled with wood smoke 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week, and will continue burning for the next
7 months. I've already had an asthma attack from the smoke.
So far in October 2009, every evening at dusk or earlier, until
the following morning, the wind dies to nothing. a complete
standstill. But the large volume smoke output does NOT stop.
For the last 15 nights in a row, since the OWB was fired up
again, our home has been covered in a thick blanket of carbon
monoxide. On windless nights like this, the smoke chugs out
and pools across the neighborhood. You can smell it through
double pane windows, and a few minutes outside walking in it
means a night with our clothes and dogs smelling like smoke.
Reluctantly, we went to Lowe's to go get some particle masks
for when we walk our dog. We asked an employee which mask keeps
out wood smoke. Within a few minutes we had a group of very
helpful Lowe's employees trying to figure things out. Someone
called the supervisor, who immediately had the answer.
"There aren't any masks you can wear to keep out smoke," he
informed us. "Unless you have a canister of oxygen and
breathing apparatus, like a fire fighter wears." So there
you have it. There are no laws against nuisance smoke in Oak
Grove, and no way to protect yourself from it.
This is unacceptable. Our City continues to be made aware of the problem, but
does nothing. As far as we are concerned, this is willful neglect for the health
and safety of property owners. If you are from the City of Oak Grove and disagree,
we'd sure like to hear your reasons why.
JUNE
25, 2009
Ding dong the boiler is gone!!!
Which old boiler?!?
The smokey old wood boiler!!!
Ding dong the old wood boiler is gone.
We saw it with our own eyes. Yep, saw it get loaded onto the
back of a flatbed and off they drove. Good bye wood boiler.
Smell ya later you smokey old piece of #$% This was several
days ago and it is still sinking in. Is it too good to be true?
We hope and we pray the wood boiler is gone forever. I hope
our neighbors finally could agree, it's only common sense. These
large volume wood burning appliances don't belong in residential
neighborhoods. Central Wood Boiler agrees with this, from
information we've heard from other people complaining about
OWB's, They are only meant to be installed in rural settings,
such as on farms, where the nearest neighbor is far far way.
In Minnesota and most other cold weather states, wood boiler
manufacturers would still have a potential customer base in
the millions, without lowering the quality of life of surrounding
neighbors.
I will keep you updated. Fingers crossed.
MAY
20, 2009
It's not recommended
by the federal, state and organizations; who know what they are taking about.
Yet our city officials do nothing. Don't they see the big picture? We are covering
our nation with soot
- black carbon emissions that contribute to global climate change.
There is no excuse
or reason to burn wood - especially with OWBs.
Wood smoke is a major cause of air pollution and black carbon; we're talking
about smoke filled with many toxic chemicals that cause disease - very much like
tobacco smoke.
I'd much rather breathe the fresh air in and around forest and prairielands,
than breathe putrid scents of owb or wood stove emissions. We'd rather live with
open windows and clean sweet air than be locked in a stuffy house with closed
windows because of the neighbor's wood smoke. Wouldn't you?
We moved to the Country to have fresh air and peace and quiet,a dream of our
for many many years. Now, that dream is literally going up in smoke!!! One property
should not have the right save a few bucks at the expense of the health of many.
Nobody should have the right, especially when there are just as inexpensive cleaner
less polluting technologies available on the market. There is only one source
of air.
After many springs with smoke filled air, I prefer the sweet smell of Lilacs.
Don't you?
April
25, 2009
As
per our agreement, our OWB neighbor has now shut off his appliance
for the non-heating season. It really has stopped.
It
is not a
dream!!!!!! The continuous daily onslaught of smoke, after 3
years, has indeed finally stopped and I do say, I can't tell
you how
fanfriggintastic it is to go outside and not
smell that stench.The air is so fresh and crisp. It's like a
cold glass of water. Now
we smell only the budding lilacs and it is a simple pleasure
we have missed so so so very much. We feel like we have been
released from a kind of a prison. Clean air at last. Thank God
almighty!! Clean air at last.
Tonight is a gorgeous night, gentle
wisps of wind coming from the SW...... like usual. When the
OWB was burning, it would have slowly blown the smoke across
our
property and sat on us like a big bully until who knows how long
until the wind would change or eventually pick up. It seems to
me, an awful thing to put ones neighbors through on a daily basis.
We still do feel kind of opressed by this whole experience. You
have to understand, it has been about 3 long years of smoke
being blown at us daily. We walk around our property in disbelief
and
utter
shock that the smoke has actually stopped!!
Smelling acrid smokey
air had become the norm. It has been such a struggle to get the
City to take this issue seriously. It is shocking how ignorant
many officials declare to be with regards to the the dangers
of air pollution. It's not like one has to actually go to the
library to read up on this subject. It's all at our fingertips
these days on the internet. You can only claim ignorance so long
before you are ultimately held responsible for causing health
problems. Doing nothing can't be used as an excuse when the facts
are everywhere.
March
12, 2009
No wind after dark
MPCA AIR QUALITY ALERT - MODERATE RISK
This should be CRIMINAL! I took the dogs out
for a walk at night. There is no wind. There is a waning full moon, and you can
actually see the thick blanket of smoke hanging over the low spots in our yard.
It looks like the photo to the left, but in darkness. The OWB smoke is VISIBLE
IN MOONLIGHT!! I wore an N5 OSHA particle mask, and could smell the smoke right
through it. I wore a 2 layer jacket, and when I took it off, my SHIRT smells
like smoke! My 2 jackets, gloves, hat, the dogs, everything REEKS of smoke and
we were outside only 5 minutes!! I can't believe anyone would find this acceptable!
February 1, 2009
After referring to the videos on our web site when speaking with City
officials, we discovered, much to our dismay, those who need to see the videos
so they can make a fair judgement of the problem are not able to because of restrictions
on the types of software available on their work computers. We have been trying
over and over to accomodate them. We tried various file formats. We used built-in
players. We gave up and purchased a DVD player, so we can take the digital movies,
put them on disk, so they can be transferred back to an archaic video tape system.
In the mean time, someone who is going through what we are with the smoke and
odor suggested we upload the videos to YOUTUBE, because to play those you don't
need special software, it's built in.
We really didn't plan to publicize our problem to the whole world, and quite
honestly felt this was a clear cut nuisance issue that would be taken care of
after we spoke to City Hall over a year ago. BUT we gotta do what we gotta do
to make people understand our problem. We wish City officials would give the
videos a new look, and give our web site address to City Council members.
January
22, 2009
A newly completed study financed by the EPA, the Centers for Disease
Control and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, compared
data in 51 US cities on changes in air pollution between over a 20 year period,
and the life expectancies of residents during those years. The average
PM 2.5 levels in the 51 cities studied dropped from 21 to 14 micrograms per cubic
meter. PM 2.5 are pollutants less then 2.5 microns in diameter-
which are have been found to cause negative health effects. Analysis in the latest
study found that for every decrease of 10 micrograms per cubic meter of particulate
pollution in a city, the average life expectancy of residents in the city grew
by more than seven months.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/
20090122/sc_afp/ushealth
environmentpollution_20090122080913
This is from a study released in 2006 by th NY State Atty. General's Office:
A 2006 study in NY State sampled air near an operating outdoor wood
boiler (OWB) every 15 seconds over a 4.3 hour period found mean PM
2.5 levels ranged from a low of 351 to a high of 1,100 micrograms per cubic meter, in
distances from 50 to 150 feet from the wood boiler.
http://www.oag.state.ny.us/
media_center/2005/aug/
August%202005.pdf
City officials claim they don't have the expertise to make judgements on whether
this much smoke can be dangerous.
You don't need to be a mechanical or chemical engineer or scientist, nor do you
need to have any medical knowledge or expertise to realize this much
smoke is bad for our health!
I'll wager a majority of City officials do not have the
credentials to be making decisions concerning such issues as groundwater
contamination, septic system requirements, structural load bearings
on buildings- but decisions are still made and rules are enforced every
day on those and many other issues. Those decisions are based on the
BEST AVAILABLE RESEARCH AND STUDIES AND EVIDENCE. And in the case of
OWB's and their danger, the evidence is OVERWHELMING. We can't all
be experts at everything, that's why we rely on the expertise of others
to make common sense decisions.
January
13th, -13° winds are mild from multiple directions, mostly
still.
We took down our signs and website, as suggested by the city as a good
faith gesture. However, the extensive smoke still is an issue we cannot with
good conscience turn our backs and pretend it isn't. Though no one else apparently
has a further complaint about the smoke we feel we must continue the website
for the greater good. We feel we have an obligation to the public health of our
neighborhood and others who find themselves in this situation. This device creates
too much smoke for this neighborhood on an ongoing basis, even after the city
has spoken to him several times.
At the last meeting they agreed to not burn during the non-heating months. (no
specific months mentioned.) This Sunday night was a nice calm night and that
is when it is the worst. The smoke just hangs low in the air; creeping along
like the angel of death. Air inversions like this take place usually in the Winter
and It doesn't matter if your inside and your windows are closed. The air you
breath comes from around you and if all you have to breath is smokey air, even
if it is every other day for hours on end, it is very bad for your respiratory
and cardiovascular systems. The science is very clear.
Common sense tells you breathing solid particles of soot into your nose probably
isn't good for you. My lungs also tell me that when I step outside and the
only air available for me to breath triggers an asthma attack.
DECEMBER 29, 2008
Yeah, Christmas was smokey. No Christmas Miracle here. The night before Christmas
was stinky. Christmas Day was hazy part of the day. We capped off the Holiday
with strong South and SW winds blowing the stink directly at our house on Saturday
and Sunday. Today we breathed a sign of relief as the winds were coming from
the north. Sure it's cold but it's clean fresh air. This past week I'd read Europe's
regulations on OWBs require 95% efficiency rating. Which means less pollutants
landing on a neighbors property and forcing them to ingest toxins. They have
figured out a way to make an OWB that is 95% efficient.
The OWBs made in the USA are not even close to their efficiency, why is this?
It's because of lack of regulation at a national level that trickles down to
our comm unties. Across this great nation this battle between neighbors is currently
being fought out. First it's nuisance complaints, then it's mediation and if
the city doesn't step up to the plate, neighbors end up suing each other and
it's all because of lack of regulation. We as neighbors to an OWB did not sign
up for all this smoke when we purchased our property. This will certainly affect
our property values when we sell.
Mike noticed today 2 more were installed less than a mile away. Next time you
get a chance, try out the nice new road with bike path, paid for with our tax
dollars. Go east at Nightingale and 201st. Follow the curve onto Flamingo. If
you're walking or on bike, you might want to hold your breath, as flanking each
side of the road and path are 2 outdoor wood boilers, standing like a grand entrance
into the Kingdom of Smokalot. Yep, can't wait to take a bike ride down that smoggy
trail. I am so disappointed.
Tuesday
December 10
WEATHER: 30° 20 mph. SW wind most of the day.This past week
has been a rather bad one for smoke and for my asthma. Today
the wind was blowing
the smoke continuously in our general direction and thus my chest has been
tight. We hear from the city this OWB has been in commission since about
1992-93. He must have decided burning wet wood was easier on the pocket book
these last 3 years, because we have been working out of the house since we
moved here in '97 and we for certain would have noticed this acrid smelling
smoke from the start. The night before Thanksgiving definitely smelled of
burning plastic. This is toxic stuff he is forcing all of us to breath on
a daily basis. Several of the neighbors were quite miffed that the city is
not going to address this further. If this neighbor was open to mediation
we would have resolved this without city intervention a long time ago.
I continue to write state agencies and representatives. Someone commented
on our youtube video and told us, "tell him to burn dry wood."Yeah,
thanks for the advice. Yeah, we'll do that. He did NOT just buy this smoke
machine!! Hello!!!! He knows very well he should burn dry wood. He probably
knows burning his garbage is illegal too. He doesn't give a &*^%$. Then
this commentator of know-it-all-ness called us "righteous" and "cars
pollute just as much." For one, we honestly drive our car about once
a week. We work and live out of our home. All the more important it is for
us to breath nice adequate fresh air. It's the only air we have. Living next
to this wood boiler is like having 45 idling cars surround our house all
at full idle on a daily and nightly basis. We are literally sick and tired
of the asthma and the headaches and the looking out our window and seeing
the large plumes of smoke coming at us. Sick of having to put a gas mask
on to take our dogs out for a walk. We feel so sorry for the dog penned up
within feet of the smoke.
We are sick and tired of not being heard and no one doing anything to
help us out here. What good is a pollution control agency?? What do these
people
do all day?? The city said, "We drove by and it didn't look bad." Jeez!!
Try stopping your car and staying a minute or two!" If we knew we were
going to be breathing this kind of pollution when we bought our house we
would have bought one next to the freeway. Anyway, after seeing Al Gores
movie, I am sure we are very very screwed as a planet and if my neighbor
and the city of "Smoke Grove" as Mike started calling it today,
who are our personal gauge of the ignorant way people think. "Smoke,
ahh smells like Christmas. Brings back memories of days of yore." "You
people are a bunch of complainers! Just move if you don't like it" Yeah,
yeah us tax paying whiners who didn't do anything but try to breathe. How
dare us!! Well, I rant onward. Until next time...we all are very doomed indeed.
December
4, 2008 -
Temp. 15° - The 4mi. NW wind makes it bitingly chilly outside
but still is not enough of a wind to sweep the smell of the smoke
from the OWB. Sadly it has been about a year since we first started
to contact the city about this. They said they sent an inspector
by to check it out but we never heard back about it. We had a
hard time describing the large amounts we are enduring. It set
us on a mission to try to illustrate all smoke by taking video.
Then to hear not too long ago many did not see our video because
they are not allowed to download Quicktime (We are designers
and use Macs) as the City Administrator won't allow anyone to
add additional software. When we spoke with her, she could have
told us this. It would have been a friendly thing to do to help
us show and prove our case. Friendly is what you assume people
in smaller communities will be. Like Mayberry. We have experienced
a lack. A lack of friendliness and caring about neighbors in
this community. It has taken us aback because we both grew up
in small towns and still find these very small towns are warm
and friendly places where people look after each other and aren't
so self involved with their individual ignorant rights to do
what ever they want and damn the consequences. I remember being
told by the MPCA that they didn't receive many complaints about
OWB until they started to be used in 3 ring suburban hobby farm
areas. OWBs seem to be fine on rural farms where your neighbor
is several miles away. No matter the claims by the manufacturer
all the devices out on the market are massive polluters adding
to global warming and cancer. OWBs emit fine asbestos size particles
in massive amounts. Living in close range of them causes many
illnesses and eventually death. If you think wood smoke is harmless
and adds to a cozy rural atmosphere, I'd hope you do some research.
You are mistaken. Pure greed, that's all it is. There are better
ways to heat your home and your water without putting lives at
risk. They don't pollute and are off the grid. Do some research.
All your smoke is going to cost you in the end.
Tuesday
November 18
WEATHER: 30° 10 mph.This picture was taken this morning at 9:30. If there
indeed was a taller stack that had been installed, it sure isn't tall enough
to raise the smoke up and away from surrounding people or houses. It is doubtful
that a few feet of pipe is going to be the solution to this large plume of
smoke. It has been 1 year since we first started complaining to city officials
and 2 years since we first started noticing the OWB with all the smoke it
was producing and the increase of asthmatic reactions and headaches we were
experiencing.
Friday November
14
WEATHER: 39° 10 mph NW wind and cloudy. The smoke isn't too bad for US
today. I almost forgot to mention, we have bought some fine particle masks
to wear, when it gets real bad. Smoke and the cold air are a very very dangerous
combo for us folks with respiratory issues. Not the prettiest fashion statement.
Some of the neighbors may shake their heads and wag their fingers at us but
we don't care what they think. We only have one body and we are going to
do our best to keep it alive and relatively healthy. Whatever it takes to
lawfully resolve this problem we are willing to do.
Welcome to the
City Council, Mr. Lawrence and Mr. Korin. For 2+ years now this is
our daily reality. This interferes with our basic property right
to have clean air, (written on the 1st page of the zoning ordinance.)
If you won't help us, just like the smoke in my yard, we are not
going to go away either. Where you can breathe you can hope.
Who took our hope?
Who took our hope? Well, we want it back! God Bless America!!
Ironically, right
now we are cooking supper and because of this activity, we should
use our air exchanger but because of the smoke outside, we can't
do this because the air exchangers function is to exchange the inside
air for the less humid outside air and we can't do this because of
all the smoke.
Monday November
10
WEATHER: 39° no wind and sunny. Sorry for not writing sooner. We have
been busy because of the recent election. Today the OWB smoked for 15 + hours
straight! Because there was no wind the smoke just permeates the air and
doesn't move very far. Far enough, however to reach our property and settle
here just fine. We both have monster smoke induced headaches, after a quick
outing in the yard with our dogs. We all smell of smoke.
Obama said in
his acceptance speech, "If you can breathe, you can hope." Well,
we can't breathe and I guess there is no hope, as the 2 newly elected
officials don't appear to to want to budge from their no government
interference and no new ordinance ideology. When asked about our
specific OWB in our neighborhood, here's what one of them had to
say about our air quality problem.
Scott
Lawrence "On first glance “OWB’s
are a bad idea and obviously cause some discomfort at best and
health problems at worst.” However, Scott said “ironically,
one of the things I am campaigning on is not writing new ordinances”,
calling it “a knee-jerk reaction to isolated incidents.” He
calls an ordinance on OWB smoke is “a slippery slope.” He
conceded he might suggest “corrections such as a much taller
stack”.
We
were told by one of the former members of The Council that the
OWB owner was going to be told to put in a higher smoke stack.
If this is the case, they either haven't done so or as suspected,
a taller stack makes no difference at all. It's like putting
a band aid on a hemmoraging wound. Hello!!!!!
Wednesday
October 22
WEATHER: 50° and rainy. Today our neighbors to the West are getting the
smoke. Today this OWB has been burning almost continuously. I imagine on
a wet and rainy day like today, the smoke and particulate matter don't travel
very far. An OWB can emit about 3090 lbs. of particulate matter per year;
that's 8.47 lbs. per day. Wow!! That's too much!! We are trying to figure
out why he is burning so much wood these days. I am not stretching the truth,
when I say he is burning almost continuously. Come on! How much hot water
does this couple need per day? It's probably his way of thumbing his nose
at us for complaining.
A kind lady wrote
us with some very helpful advice. she has been dealing with her OWB
loving neighbors for going on 4 years now. She recommended getting
a lawyer and make sure to document the smoke and any interactions
with the neighbor and the city with recording devices; as the case
may have to go to court. Her OWB smoke problem has cost her a lot
of time and money. We can't believe it's going to come to suing our
neighbor, but if that's what we need to do to protect our rights
and our health, so be it.
Tuesday,
October 7
WEATHER: Rain
most of the day.
The neighbors OWB was really smoking today! From 2pm until 7pm when the
sun went down. We finally were able to watch the replay of the City Council
Meeting on TV and it didn't sound very promising for a citywide ordinance.
It didn't appear many looked into the matter or the information about
OWBs that we provided. They have some preconceived notions about the
hazards (or lack thereof) of breathing wood smoke in large quantities
on a daily basis. After watching the meeting several times, we still
aren't sure much will be done about it. Perhaps they might issue the
OWB owner a notice or a citation of some sort. They didn't feel an ordinance
was the way to go. It states Title 1300 of Oak Grove Ordinances, is designed
to “protect the public health, safety, morals,
comfort, convenience and general welfare of the property,
present and future residents of the City of Oak Grove and surrounding
environs.”
In addition, “Providing adequate light, air, and
convenience of access to property. Preserving and protecting
the quiet, peaceful enjoyment and habitability
of the community. Limiting congestion in the public rights-of-way
and securing safety from fire and other dangers.” (emphasis
added.) Specific ordinances within Title 1300 address the smoke and smell
issue.
It's
already in the ordinance. Argh!!
There
really isn't any more going on; we personally don't have
any other vendetta against this neighbor other than the
large volumes of smoke coming from his property. We may
have gone overboard trying to prove our case because
it is hard to describe how bad it is in words. Therefore
the pictures and this website. People don't get the fact
smoke causes cancer and heart disease. It drives me crazy!!
It's like living in Green Acres out here. It's like Oak
Grove exists in a little cozy bubble where no one gets
cancer and if you have asthma... well, it sucks to be
you. Oak Grove is a magical place where smoke is good,
it makes ya hearty and that's all there is to it. Uffda!!
Another thing that really teez me off, is the council
spent more time deciding on controlling the Grub worm
population on the trails than they did on our issue.
There's my rant, as if anyone besides me and my hubby
are reading any of this.
Thursday
October 9
WEATHER: 70 and beautiful outside today. This past week the offending OWB
has been smokier than usual. It makes us wonder...WHY?!? Tonight at about
6:45 we went to take the dogs out for an after dinner walk and we were literally
chased back inside to avoid the large volumes of smoke slowly floating in
our general direction. The wind was so light, so it was thick and slow, slowly
falling and hugging the lay of the land. We think we might have to move out
and get a lawyer, but where and this economy is going down the drain. We
might have to move in with my 84 year old mother in Crookston, MN. The air
is sure a lot cleaner there and it might be the best thing to do until we
get the smoke stopped.The thought of having to move from my own home makes
me mad as hell and I can't take breathing in much more of this smoke .Tonight
it was so smokey we put another video up on youtube.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIc5kYIKTTI
If you do a search for Outdoor Wood Boilers, you will find 3 now from GoReps;
that's me. You will also see all these videos called, "I love my free
heat machine." They never show them in operation and smoking out the
entire neighborhood. 2.5 acre lots are too small for these devices people!!
Your neighbor should be a speck on the horizon, if you should use one. It's
just so unbelievable we have to deal with something like this in the 21st
Century!! All the smoke must be making people stupid.
Tuesday,
September 2
WEATHER: Rain most
of the day. For 2 days this past Labor Day weekend we were pretty much smoked
out of our yard and had to huddle indoors with the windows closed. Weather
was in the 80°s too, beautiful perfect weather. Mike spoke with a neighbor
yesterday who over the past several years, has had chronic nasal infections
and doctors say this caused something more serious, vertigo. He told Mike
there are 2 types of vertigo and he has the more serious type, the type he
will have to live with for the rest of his life. On
top of that, his air conditioning is broken down and he has had to resort
to fans in the window, but with the smoke coming in from the OWB he said
the smoke has been more of a problem for their family, now more than ever.
From our window, we can see hugh volumes of smoke hit the side of his house.
It just doesn't seem right! I had another asthma attack on Saturday evening.
Friday, August
22
WEATHER: Partly
smoky skies. SW
wind. Smoke is filling my yard. Mike went over to city hall and spoke with
Chantel and brought her a very smoky scented towel we had hanging out on
the line today. She couldn't give an opinion on the fact the towel even smelled
of smoke. She said there was nothing she could do and until others wrote
a complaint letter nothing could or would be done about it. So, nobody has
written. It's truly disappointing to hear this news. Please go to our downloadable
complaint form. We have made it easy for you all. All you have to do is sign
your name and send the letter in. Please. Get 'er Done!!
Friday, August
8
WEATHER: Partly
smoky skies. Today, light Southwest winds bring a 100 percent chance of smoke
and odor. Tonight, continued difficulty breathing. Expect smoke and particulate
matter to blanket nearby houses throughout the night. Low tonight of 64,
but that doesn't matter because the windows will need to stay closed, and
air conditioning on. Saturday's forecast is expected to be the same. Highs
in the mid 80's, with a 100 percent chance of smoke and odor throughout the
day. And now the extended forecast: No relief in sight.
Tuesday, August
5
WEATHER: 81 NW wind. Nice day and it's great for us to not have the wood
smoke blowing our way. We tried getting a room at the Americinn last night
but unfortunately they aren't animal friendly, so we trudged around Walmart
for a while and then came back home, hoping would be less caustic and it
was a little clearer so we ventured back. When it vented out smoke yesterday
afternoon, we saw the smoke just surround his house and sit there. He must
have to leave when this happens, as I can't imagine he could possibly breathe
it was so thick.
Monday, August
4
WEATHER: 81 SE wind. Today and most of this past weekend our neighbors on
Uplander were on the receiving end of the smoke pollution. We were able to
enjoy our yard for a couple of days. Of course, as usual, once the winds
die down at dusk, the smell is just like living next to the California forest
fires. Tonight we are beside ourselves as to what else we can do. After talking
about this issue with neighbors and the city. What if no one else complains.
neighbors say they will call but now they have to put their complaint into
writing. What if they never get around to writing that letter. It's hard
to express the amount of anger and helplessness we feel tonight. The air
is just acrid with the stench of smoke tonight. We can't believe our lone
complaint isn't enough. Mike has had a headache all night tonight and he
feels queasy. I must admit, I don't fee very well myself. I believe those
are symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. That's it! Enough is enough going
to have to get a hotel room tonight and a lawyer tomorrow. We shouldn't stay
here.
Friday, August
1st
WEATHER: 80 less humid. 20 mph wind from the NW. While you were sleeping
last night, there was a smoky smell of something burning and blanketing the
'hood from sunset until well past midnight, totally smoked out of the house.
Mike counted the smoky plume regurgitating from the OWB every two hours.
Without a breeze to carry it away it sat collecting and covering everyone's
house for hours. Looking like we live in an industrial zone in China. Today
with a mild breeze away from our property, we get a short respite or reprieve
from what seems is a daily onslaught to our lungs.
Tuesday, JULY
29
WEATHER: 89 and humid. The MN Pollution Control Agency declared an air quality
alert for the southern two thirds of MN, yesterday until Saturday. It's called
an Air Pollution Health Advisory- Ozone and fine particles are expected to
reach very high thresholds, which is very bad for anyone including me and
several of my neighbors with pulmonary conditions like asthma and for people
with heart disease.The MPCA strongly recommends no one burns wood until the
alert has been declared over. Since one cannot burn wood in the city, that
means they are talking about out here. Of course, as I write this, the nearby
wood boiler is smoking away and the smoke is rolling over the hill in our
general direction. Just put a bag over my head and suffocate me.
Friday, JULY
25
WEATHER: 69 and still. The smoke is hanging in the air tonight. After a week
of SW winds this evening was the 1st chance to open our windows when the
winds shifted at about 5PM. We then had a couple of hours of fresh air before
the wind died down and we started to smell the smoke coming our way once
again. When it's so still, the smoke is so thick, we are going to have to
make it a quick walk with the dogs tonight. We spoke to several people around
the 'hood this week and several of whom have said they have asthma and breathing
difficulties.
Saturday, JULY
19
WEATHER: 73 and pleasant. Another day of smoke. While doing research on OWBs
I also looked into the cost of installing Solar Boilers and panels. I found
for the same cost if not cheaper considering all the variables, you could
buy and install solar. Why burn wood and endanger the health of your family
and neighbors when there is a cleaner alternative; natures nuclear power
plant, the sun. It is very affordable! Look here and see: http://www.homewoodsolarandwind.ca/prices.htm
Thursday, JULY
17
WEATHER: 82 and humid. No wind. The smoke is hovering over the neighbors
house about 50 ft. away from the boiler. Why he doesn't complain, is beyond
me. Here is a website I thought pretty much echoed my experience with OWBs.
http://breathehealthyair.blogspot.com/2008/01/usa-today-story-outside-wood-burning.html
WEDNESDAY, JULY
16
WEATHER: 70 and humid. Tonight we were going to eat outside on our patio;
have some cheeseburgers on the grill, but the smell of smoke filled the air
and we decided it was best to be safe. It just makes us worry every time
we go outside and suck up a big gulp of wood smoke every time. I have a mild
case of asthma tonight, after our nightly walk with the dogs. It is just
starting to dawn on me, we may have to consider moving because of this, with
my history of asthma and bronchitis; my achilles heel .I am afraid eventually
all this smoke will give us cancer. Mike spoke with Chantell Knauss at City
Hall yesterday and we now are officially on record for filing a complaint.
(Apparently we didn't talk to the right people last fall or we didn't give
them a formal written complaint about all the smoke, so it wasn't on record
as a complaint.) We were told no other neighbors seem to have a problem with
it and we are the only ones complaining. She said, "We are just a single
complaint. Until the city receives at least 3 written complaints about this
OWB, they can't do anything about it." So we are now going to talk to
some neighbors and see if any one is bothered enough by the smoke, maybe
they have experienced breathing difficulties too and try to get at least
2 more households to file a nuisance complaint. We think some may not complain
because they are not aware of the alarming facts about how much pollution
these generate. Still, If other neighbors don't have a problem with it, we
may have to move somewhere where the air is less polluted. I don't think
I should be force to move, as I think clean air should be a God given right.
MONDAY JULY 14
WEATHER: 88 and sunny. A weekend of straight line winds made the wood boiler
somebody else's problem. The weather always evens itself out and today the
wind is blowing from the southwest again; right at us.
FRIDAY JULY 11
WEATHER: 80 and cool after a very windy storm and a hot humid tropical day
in the 90s. Clearing the air for about an hour before the OWB started smogging
it up again. I cant' tell you what a drag this is to rush around the house
because we have to shut all the windows and our house is still about 79 inside.
So now we have to run the air conditioner again. What a friggin' drag! The
next door neighbor just put their house up for sale. I wonder if the wood
boiler had anything to do with it.
WEDNESDAY JULY
9
WEATHER: 84 and beautiful outside today. All our windows are open with a
North wind bringing in fresh air - opposite direction from the boiler, thank
goodness. At 8:30pm, the wind died down. We smelled wood smoke come in the
windows. One look outside and I can see a wide blue haze hanging in the air
from the wood boiler to here. The windows go closed, again. By 10pm, the
temp is down to a really nice 60 degrees outside, but still 84 inside our
house. Perfect weather to have the windows open. Mike stepped outside to
check, and the air smells like smoke at 10pm again. So we started the air
conditioner. Mike accidentally pushed on the VENT button, so the air conditioner
started sucking in air from outside the house. We didn't notice it right
away, as we were in a different part of the house. I went into the living
room and it smelled like wood smoke. Mike complained of a headache. As usual,
there's no way to vent the smoke out of the house without sucking more in.
TUESDAY, JULY
8 2008
Besides the ten months of videos and photos we took since the fall of 2007,
at one point we tried to keep a log of the times the air quality was bad
enough to write it down. We figured showing the frequency of the nuisance
in a list might help explain our problem. It looked like this:
April 7- 10am, 1:30pm 4:30pm, 8pm, 11pm, 12:30am
April 8 - 8am, 1pm, 4pm, 5:30pm, 8:30pm, 10:30pm, 12:30am, 2am
etc.
It quickly became obvious this would be little more than a long list of meaningless
numbers that don't do a good job explaining the problem. Kids these days
are all BLOGGING, which is more or less an online diary, so we thought it
might be a good way to keep day to day notes to help better understand what
we are experiencing. Check back often for the smoggy updates!
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