fuelwood

WHAT IS IT?

• energy obtained from the burning of wood
• one of the first energy sources
• globally used until the 1800s
• a very cheap but costly energy source
• considered a renewable resource

before 1800s

• people burn it in stoves, fireplaces, etc.
• disfigured wood were converted to charcoal (a derivative)
• the industrial revolution caused falls in fuelwood demand
• Japan's overconsumption led to a forest management policy

After 1800s

• airtight stoves and 1973 energy crisis boosted demands
• there was a "stove fad" through the 1980s
• today, pellet stoves, which burn biomass pellets, are used
• cooking is the main use of these fuelwood sources
• however, coal & oil dominate for more powerful energy

energy source of the poor

• they cannot afford coal, let alone oil
• wood is abundantly found
• wood's low price appeals to them
• lumber creates jobs for those financially struggling

impacts

• when burned, irritating fine particles soar through the air
• the air pollution caused results in asthma & heart diseases
• it destroys habitats and promotes soil erosion
• inefficiency in combustion may increase greenhouse gases

Advantages

• burning it doesn't release dangerous, toxic chemicals
• logging creates jobs & income
• it's accessible to poorer countries
• locals don't pay for their wood

Disadvantages

• high investment cost 
• poor ignitability
• poor durability 

questions

• why did the use of fuelwood decrease over time?
• does charcoal fall under the category of fuelwood?
• does this renewable resource have harmful impacts?
• what are some advantages? and disadvantages?
• if its use has decreased, why is it still being used now?

CITATIONS
~
Dutta, Animesh. "Advantages and Disadvantages." Advantages and Disadvantages. Asian Institute of Technology, UNESCO, JFIT, 06 May 2007. Web. 31 Jan. 2015.
~
Wikipedia contributors. "Wood fuel." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 22 Jan. 2015. Web. 31 Jan. 2015.