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ECO INFO
OUR’ :COLD, “snowy
weather. may be encour. aging _
more people io. leave their’
_cars home, but.” it’s
leading ‘to emissions from
another-..source your
| fireplace.”

Wood-burning in your home
and back-yard bonfires are among
some’ of the ‘most .” contentious

“municipal environmental issues.
:,.We don’t just burn'to heat our
homes and. get. rid of our garden
waste} we do it for the memory-"
evoking: aroma, for the cosy feel-
‘ing. it: gives us, for: the social

: warmth a fi replace can bring.

Therefore’ it is doubly hard to
recognize: wood- burning” for what-
“it really, is‘ a source:for pollu:
tants that can -be ‘harmful to the
health: ‘of. the “very loved ones
whose ‘eyes you. are gazing. into
‘dreamily.-as | the “fire crackles’.
“romantically i in the background. ©
The ,, ~ particulates.

‘tants, : and | are 0: fine they ‘can
creep, into a ‘house ‘through sealed .
doors and: windows. ‘

created _by* :

This’ is “especially a threat on’

‘cold, clear, nights, as the air is’
stable and traps smoke near the

JUST. IN time for Weedless: Wed-
‘nesday’ (Jan. 20)’. and - National
: Non-Smoking Week (Jan. 18-24),
. the (Canadian. Cancer“ Society is
» offering. smokers an active, prac-
: tical ! ‘approach to quitting smok-
“Sing. ;
Its : innovative “Fresh Start”
‘support group ‘provides individuais
_ with educational information: and
. the essential strategies and support

to quit smoking.
“Qurctrained | volunteer

facilitators“ have , an’ empathetic
‘understanding of smokers, and an

woe

ground instead of dispersing i it.

1 saw an-exceilent example of
this process on a recent drive
through Kamloops when the
temperature was -18°C,

(If you had asked a local what
the temperature was, he would
have said ‘18. I noticed that no
one in the Interior bothered to say

‘‘minus’’ as it’s a constant state of
affairs at this time of year.)

A number of. industry smoke
stacks were sending thick pillars
of emissions into the cold air,
forming stark columns against the
otherwise bright blue sky.

Unable to dissipate due to the
cold, stable air, a blanket of
smoke formed over the columns*
like mushroom clouds, obscuring
huge patches of sky and mountain
backdrops.

It took only one smoke stack to
create an effect that had an im-
pact on the whole city. It need on-

_ly‘take one fireplace to affect your

:

‘whole neighborhood.
_ Along with the aforementioned
particulate matter, smoke contains
a number. of other compounds
that can have negative effects.

The following examples were
listed in a-B.C. Environment
brochure entitled ‘‘Where There? s
Fire, There's Smoke":

@ Acrolein,: which can cause -ir-
Titation to the eyes and espiratory »
‘tract.

=) Formaldehyde, a: probable car-
cinogen that. can. cause ‘headaches
and respiratory tract irritation.

@ Carbon’ monoxide, which
causes angina in people with heart
“disease and is lethal at high. con-
centrations. _ ;

@ Nitrogen oxides, which cause
bronchial congestion, . fluid con- ,
gestion and fibrotic changes i in the
lungs. at

-@ Polycyclic aromatic “ hydrocar-"*
“bons; which can create a cancer
risk“ in cases of « “prolonged OX-
posure. ‘
® Volatile organic compounds,
some of. which are carcinogenic
ace as” “benzene) ar ad many of

‘Potter, Joylon™ Brown, and Helen
Pastuck  — kicked off. the, pro- -

gram last year with all but one of <
the 15 participants remaining: ‘to
theend.9 .

"This year’s ‘Fresh Start” pro-
gram for the North.Shore begins
Januaty.21. The group will meet

Tuesday and Thursday. evenings -

from 7 p. m. to.9 p.m. for. four

_ consecutive weeks.

‘To register or: for’ further in:
formation, contact the Candadian

. Cancer. Society, North -Vancouver

unit “at- 985-8585, or the’ West

ability . to. motivate, laugh and Vancouver unit at 925- 1952,

have fun,’’ Society program coor-.

; .dinator Francis -McLafferty. ; :
Last" year the society launched .
the program'— an adaptation of a
smoking. cessation program . from

: Australia: —-by training three vol-"*

linteers (all ex-smokers) from the |
“North Shore) to lead groups i in the :

Wash Your Tilley Hat Often
“Restretch over the knee”
-For a current Owner's Manual,’ :

| Hilley E

1194 Marine Dre at brat fe berton be7-6408”

FREE BOOKLET |

f° One often hears Canadians com-

» pluining about the high amount of

“tux they pay. What muny individuals
do not realize is that simply by,
structuring their investments
carefully, they can pay far less.
lax. This guide will provide you
with ideas for suving tax through :
your investment program. | ,

fall today to receive your come -
' Plimentary booklet.

Mark Osechott-

ScotiaNicLeod -

Truated wtversiment actoce unce 1921

_ week.

which cause respiratory illness and
irritation...

: It's quite a list, isn’t it? !t cer-
tainly explains the fury that arose
in ‘West, Vancouver last year when
a developer burned debris on his
construction site and enveloped
the whole: area in smoke for a

It also explains why so many
communities have banned back-
yard burning . at the . residential
level...

Many people are - switching to
gas fireplaces that: are inexpensive

to use, attractive ‘ta look at, and” ]
stove, you may wish to. contact.

much moreé environmentally sound
than . traditional -fireplaces and
woodstoves. .

‘If you are not yet ready to

make that investment, and unwill-
ing to give up. your fire habit.
altogether, stick to the following
tips. to ensure .that smoke -
minimized through efficient com:
bustion:
@ Don’t burn wood that’s
treated, painted, or laden with sait
water. -
@ Don’t ‘ overload your'stove with®
too much wood or | starve the fire:
of air. ;
® Don’t . burn ‘on * cold, clear ;:
nights when smoke won't dissipate
from the area.

If you already have a wood

the Air Resources Sranch of, the

Ministry of .Environment, Lands
and Parks and request a copy of

~ Discover
a brand new.

Come see the New Weight Watchers: People laughing.
Meeting new friends. Listening to tapes or enjoying
entertaining videos, So call the New Weight Watchers to
become a brand new you. You'll love the changes in our

Program. Almost as much as the ones in your mirror.

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~ Nortit VANCOUVER -
: WEIGHT WATCHERS CENTRE : :
1025 23 E. toms Sr

~ Masonic HAL:
763 BELLEVUE:

h Columbia! Idnuney 2-23, 1993. Cannot hee

, oto Peter jensen :
SMOKESTACK EMISSIONS ‘trapped: by. cold, stable air cast a pall over otherwise Sloudless
: Kamloops, skies. : 7

their “How to Get. the Most From bs

Your. Wood Stove’? brochure. |;
Call 387-9933 OF, fax 356- 7197
in Victoria. :
“The North Shore . Recycling
Program i is attempting to obtain a

quantity: cf the .{‘Where®There's |

Smoke, There’s.. Fire’: brochures

that discuss various industrial. and”

commercial sources as well as the

residential burning issues’ describ- :

ed here. . .
If you would like to be. ,amoag,

‘the people’ who’ are_ sent” opi :
" information from’ the. North Shore™.”

Recycling’ Program ‘on’ a- regular

‘basis; phone them. at 984-9730
Cand = leave your, name, ;
“ (with. postal ‘code), and - phone’

address

bined with‘any other offer andi in not avuilabte for at work,

fi
ivi weight ves may vary. © 1992 Weight Watchers International, tne. Owner ofthe > Registered Teadeenurs, AM Rights Reserved,