AGH Energy Equity Program Manager, Hannah Stinson, recently had the opportunity to visit with critical personnel of the Shoshone-Bannock's firewood program on the Fort Hall Reservation. Read more here.

Progress on North Carolina Flood Relief Firewood Bank Funds

Special funding has gone out to four NC firewood banks so far with two other applications in progress. These firewood banks are facing both a surplus in wood to be processed and a heightened need in their communities. Read more here.

Firewood Bank Grant Information

98%

of funds are spoken for from

81

applicants

If you are thinking about applying, AGH encourages you to submit an application as soon as possible. A waiting list will be held until all funds are wired for the 2024-2025 grant cycle.

"In this episode we spend a day at the log yard as folks process logs into split firewood and load it to to take to folks in their community and beyond. We talk to the people involved with this wood ministry and to others who discuss what it means to be of service to one’s community. What started as a small group helping a neighbor get firewood for the winter, has grown to hundreds of people working together to provide this life-sustaining service for their community."

The Burn Wise Program now has more information about heat pumps on their website. A heat pump might be a good option for those homes that use firewood for heating but have members of the household that are part of higher risk population when it comes to wood smoke impacts including: older adults, children, people with lung-related issues, people with heart disease, outdoor workers, and those with limited access to medical care. In many situations, keeping a wood stove in the home after getting a heat pump can help foster confidence in being able to heat during emergencies like if the electricity goes out from a winter storm or if you can't afford electricity that month. Some might want to keep their wood stove for traditional cooking purposes, too!

Anderson County (TN) Nonprofit Partners with University of Tennessee to Deliver Firewood to People Who Need It For Warmth

"'When I'm looking at the residents of Anderson County, you know we hit a lot of the rural areas. They still use the stove or wood-burning fireplaces. So, looking at that on the average of what we would serve, I would say a good 25% or 30% of our clients do still use the wood as the main heat source.’ said Tammy Crowe, the commission's executive director.”

Jericho's (VT) Wood4Good Delivers Free Firewood to Families

"Kent, a 43-year-old single mom, keeps her thermostat at 58 degrees. She typically burns six cords of wood each winter but last year could afford only four."

"'I went outside, and I looked, and I just started crying,' Kent said. Wood4Good volunteer David Lawson was there with a white truck carrying more than a cord of firewood.

This month brings attention to the risks associated with carbon monoxide (CO) and the potential of your wood-burning appliances poisoning you without warning. Although the risk from wood heat is low, it is another important reason to take action if an elevated amount of wood smoke enters your home. A functioning flue vents the smoke from your fireplace or wood stove to the outside. A blocked or nonfunctioning flue causes smoke to enter your home and exposes you and others to toxic carbon monoxide in addition to other toxic gases and particulate matter pollution. 

Remember:

• Regularly sweep and inspect your chimney for damage! 
• Store hot ash in your ash can outside as they can be a source of CO!
• Install a CO alarm in your home and test that it works every month!