Ignorance, pollution ‘go hand in hand’

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33626, 30 August 1974, Page 10

Ignorance, pollution ‘go hand in hand’

A house-to-house survey on heating and air pollution ip Christchurch has shown that while three-quai tei s ot thus answering thought air pollution was a moderate or scrioub problem in the city, only about one-third let publicity a loin the issue influence their choice of home heating.

The survey—of nearly 3800 homes — also showed that if open fires were banned, most openfire users (almost 84 per cent) would switch to electric heaters.

Already, electricity provides 82 per cent of all effective domestic energy, oil 8.5 per cent, and coal only 4.5 per cent. And while the Christchurch population rose between 1966 and 1973 at a rate of about 1.4 per cent a year, the effective home energy demand went up by 4.2 per cent a year, the survey found.

The cost of this change to electricity would generally be low for the consumer, say the authors of the survey, but for the local and central government it would be substantial. “PREFERENTIAL AID”

“The problem is that, in the current context of electricity shortages, an increase in demand of the amount calculated (a minimum of about 65 megawatts) could be absorbed only if Christchurch were given some form of preferential power allocation to ensure that there were no pressures encouraging householders to turn back to the open fire. “Whether this can be done is for the central government to decide, in the context of national energy supply. “However, in the immedi-

• ate future there appears to! ,be no other method of home (heating capable of making a( (substantial contribution to-j ; wards replacement of the. peak energy now supplied by the open fire.” EFFICIENCY UNPOPULAR [ The authors of the survey, (Professor A. M. Kennedy, j Dr N. J. Peet. Mr J. C. Mar-’ low. and Mr K. J. Brown, of the chemical engineering de-” partment at the University ot ( Canterbury) say downdraught coal burners can be; efficient but they are expensive and scarce, and only 7.4 per cent of surveyed householders intend to use them. ( Oil-fired heaters are about j the same price, but the cost! of home-heating oil has j doubled in the last year, and 1 seems likely to rise again. '■ A high-efficiency closed i coal heater is the cheapest of all home-heating methods ( after capital repayments have;, been made, but unless the Government subsidises the| ( high losses in South Island!, coal-fields, a price increase L for coal is inevitable. CRIMINAL WASTE ‘ To ban open fires, the|] iauthors say. would mean the J floss of about 30.000 tons of 11 Icoal a year from the local;! market. While this could’’

'possible be diverted to inidustry, some reorganisation of mining would be necessary. In view of the losses, this may also be considered (timely. "When it is appreciated [that the open fire uses onlv 'about 20 per cent of the (potential energy of its fuel, (this amounts to a criminal waste of an irreplaceable resource. i “When it is also realised (that most houses in Christchurch are. at best, onlv partly insulated, it will be apparent that a great deal [more energy is being consumed for domestic heating .than is really necessary. GOVERNMENT ROLE I “It is important to realise 'that fuel conservation and 'air pollution control go hand-in-hand. Little or no air (pollution need ever result (if fuels are carefully and efficiently used. [ “The pressure behind anv (decision to reorganise our (way of life must come from (every individual in qur (society, but the Government will undoubtedly be better [placed in the position of offering the carrot early, than 'in waiting until the stick is [returned later.” says the sur Ivey.