City smog

Press, 19 June 1986, Page 20

City smog

Sir,—l would like to add my support for a smog-free Christchurch. How bad does it have to get before we can achieve this? We have been lucky the last week has not been too cold, but if we have too many days like last Saturday and Sunday it will be nearly impossible to breathe. Fire-lighters should give us a break from smog this winter.— Yours, etc., J. FAHEY. June 15, 1986. Sir,—l agree, in part, with Catherine Glue’s letter (June 17) with regard to the arbitrary letters against open fireplaces. She also states that “open fires are inefficient and excessively expensive.” A load of wood which lasts 12 months cost less than $lOO last year. Just how much heating and hot water could be got for $100? The warmth lingers in the fireplace, but switch off the electric heater and one has instant chill. Users of open fires do not add to peak

loads of electricity. Fires are not burning continuously, nor is there emission at nose level as there is in the case of diesel and petrol vehicles — night or day. Air conditioners are a suspect source of legionnaires’ disease and heaters in rooms with people could harbour and/or incubate germs. It is an interesting fact that the number of open fireplaces has declined and the incidence of asthma is on the increase. — Yours, etc., M. A. HOGAN. June 17. 1986.

Sir,—My attachment to the open fire is in no way sentimental; it is based on common sense. There are people in this city who dread the coming of their next electricity bill. For them the use of more power is impossible. Are they supposed to sit in the cold? How anyone can say that electricity is “reliable” is beyond my understanding. It can, and does, go off without warning. You can just sit and freeze — unless you have a fireplace. What really puzzles me is why the anti-smoke crusaders always pick on the open fireplace. I would think more of them if they tackled some of the bigger boys. What about the hospital chimney, the Reserve Bank chimney or the many industrial chimneys in various parts of Christchurch? Why should the domestic chimney be looked on as the only source of air pollution? — Yours, etc., ANNE THOMSON. June 17, 1986.