Good article by Dan Barry ny times

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
jmcp said:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/04/us/maine-resident-struggles-to-heat-his-home.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

Uhm... how could this couple not have the capacity to heat via wood? Did I miss something?
 
I just hung up with the folks at Hometown Energy. I felt compelled to donate a few hundred dollars for no other reason than I have been and am fortunate that I can. I was told that many have reacted the same way as I did and that the reporter is doing a follow up story. I did make sure to mention that I saw the link for the article here, the woman said she would mention it to the reporter. I wonder how many others from here will call and give a little something?
 
That's a pretty sad story that unfortunately plays out all over America today. You hear people say..."if we can only make it through this winter". Well what about the next and the next. They are bound to be worse as far as fuel prices go.

We have 535 idiots in Washington that use the oil lobby to grease their pockets, so there's no help coming there. Sad, sad state of affairs.

I'm not going to question why they can't do this or that. It may seem simple from the outside looking in. That doesn't mean it's so simple from the inside. Take the article for what it is. A glimpse of a life some of us may not have a clue about.
 
Ejectr said:
Take the article for what it is.

Ok, but how do you know that you can trust that this article is telling the whole truth?
 
There's a lesson for everyone there: Get off the oil, or it will take you down.

Tom C.
 
jmcp said:
Dan Barry has won a lot of awards including the pulitzer for journalism

"He won like a million awards or something! I'm pretty sure it was a lot!"

Yeah I'm convinced. Didn't Walter Duranty also receive the Pulitzer Prize? :roll:
 
Well I wil throw $100 if someone can tell me where to send it.This kind of stuf is terrible when an old man tries to give the title of his car to heat his home
 
Thread moved to give it a wider audience.
 
And how many Billions did the oil company's get in grants and tax relief this year? Isn't Hugo Chavez still giving free oil to those who can't pay?
 
I think I would donate $100 toward a stove or firewood for this guy. That goes toward fixing the long term problem. As harsh as it sounds, giving people money to buy heating oil is just putting your finger in the dam to stop the water. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that firewood suppliers and wood stove dealers/installers work together for each other's common interest. A firewood supplier could offer a free cord to go along with a stove purchase and the stove dealer could pick up half of the cost. That would help to sell stoves and give the firewood supplier another customer. Maybe I'm completely off the mark on this one.
 
Well I'm not sure if burning wood is for them or not and we all know the reasons. The sad part is that he is waisting gas to buy expensive kerosene. He's probably run the tank dry and sucked debris into his filter and nozzle. When your knocked down its so hard to get back up.
 
SmokeyTheBear said:
Here you go an update and other information. http://www.hometownenergymaine.com/recentnews.html

Thanks for that, smokey (and also to the OP for the article). If you have not read the additional stuff that smokey posted - a quick recap of what is going on. The old couple has a very leaky house which a couple of volunteers are offering to fix. Donations continue to pour into the oil company that will then create a trust fund to, hopefully, help others for a long time to come.

Great story and a great response by true AMERICANS.
 
The way I see it, it is more of a housing problem than a heating problem.

Design, orientation, and insulation can easily cut in half the amount of oil (or wood) burned in houses of similar size and location where those factors are neglected.

Here's a building resource that our country is so rich in that we burn it to dispose of it:
http://strawbale.sustainablesources.com/

Here's a program that someone started because he read about elders freezing to death in their homes:
https://www.redfeather.org/
 
A dollar spent reducing demand will go sooooooo much further than a dollar spent to donate oil (or NG or pay an electric bill). We need more subsidized weatherization/insulation upgrade programs.

Something like the MassSave program in every state. Give people who want to donate the option to donate to programs like these so we can insulate the homes of those most in need at no cost.
 
And this is the first year in quite a while that we have not had anyone in dire straits and in need of wood to heat their homes. This, along with super high unemployment in our area amazes me. I have no answer but am willing to help some in our area if they indeed do need help.
 
Backwoods Savage said:
And this is the first year in quite a while that we have not had anyone in dire straits and in need of wood to heat their homes. This, along with super high unemployment in our area amazes me. I have no answer but am willing to help some in our area if they indeed do need help.

Well, now that you mention it. There is an old retired guy in Virginia that could use a few dozen cords of free wood if anybody wants to contribute. :cheese: I promise to dry it sufficiently before burning it.
 
Well the story seems to have generated a lot of help over 100,000 in donations America still has a heart do not know about oil companies
 
BrotherBart said:
Backwoods Savage said:
And this is the first year in quite a while that we have not had anyone in dire straits and in need of wood to heat their homes. This, along with super high unemployment in our area amazes me. I have no answer but am willing to help some in our area if they indeed do need help.

Well, now that you mention it. There is an old retired guy in Virginia that could use a few dozen cords of free wood if anybody wants to contribute. :cheese: I promise to dry it sufficiently before burning it.

Would shipping via UPS be okay?
 
Backwoods Savage said:
Well, now that you mention it. There is an old retired guy in Virginia that could use a few dozen cords of free wood if anybody wants to contribute. :cheese: I promise to dry it sufficiently before burning it.

Would shipping via UPS be okay?[/quote]

Prepaid. :lol: FedEx Freight's terminal isn't far from here.
 
I agree that the real solution is not help with oil bills or free firewood. The solution in subsidies for insulation and weather sealing. Efficiency is the only solution to the increased energy costs.
 
It has to be some of both. Money to help insulate and update housing and help people buy oil, NG, or electric. Because even the best insulated houses can and do run out of oil or have the electric/NG shut off. Whatever the argument is it is shame that in this day and age, citizens of this great country go cold and hungry everyday.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.