For 24 hours, entire industries in Chile’s capital have shut down. Citizens remain indoors in an effort to protect themselves from the thick smog that has descended upon Santiago. How did the air get this polluted?
Well, there are a few reasons.
First of all, Santiago is located within a valley, meaning that the city is protected from cleansing wind and rainstorms. Pollution accumulates over this valley and often hangs there undisturbed for days.
To make matters worse, Chile is currently experiencing the driest June weather since 1968. Officials believe that the extra dry climate is contributing to the particularly poor air quality in Santiago.
Combine these ecological factors with 1.7 million cars on the road and a bustling manufacturing sector and you have a perfect smog-producing storm.
But what if staying inside isn’t much safer for Chilean citizens? 20% of the country’s energy supply comes from burning wood, a process that releases soot particles, heavy metals, and carbon dioxide. Residents of Santiago who use wood burning stoves for heating and cooking inadvertently pollute the air in their own homes.
The damage caused by wood burning stoves occurs in many countries besides Chile, and affects other global issues in addition to air quality. The smoke created by these stoves has been linked to increased risk of asthma, malnutrition and cardiovascular disease, all of which disproportionately impact the elderly, the young and the impoverished. Unfortunately firewood is significantly cheaper to obtain than natural gas or electricity, meaning that the world’s poor do not have access to less dangerous energy sources.
Many organizations recognize how cleaner burning stoves can benefit home environments and alleviate public health concerns at the same time. For example, the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves is working to make affordable alternatives to wood burning stoves. One design uses captured heat to power an electric fan that allows wood to burn more cleanly, and another contains a uniquely shaped combustion chamber that facilitates efficient heat transfers. The organization also conducts research to incorporate local cooking styles and lifestyle patterns into their stove designs.
Today, I hope that the rain comes to clear the smog in Santiago. However, I also hope that efficient stoves can minimize the numerous consequences of burning wood in the near future.