Today, more than ever before, people around the world are looking for heating options that are environmentally friendly and will reduce the world’s dependency on fossil fuels. Pellet stoves offer an option that could be quite viable, yet there are still some concerns regarding the use of pellet stoves. One of the reasons that pellet stoves are so environmentally friendly is that they require no dependency on fossil fuels. Despite this, there are some political concerns regarding the use of other types of pellets, such as corn and sawdust. This has led to questions regarding whether burning corn could be contributing to the world food and energy shortage.
Fossil Fuel Dependency
One of the primary advantages of a pellet stove is that it does not require fossil fuel for operation. This not only makes it much less expensive to operate than many other alternative heating sources, but it also makes it quite environmentally friendly as well. The two primary types of fuel that are burned in pellet stoves are corn pellets and sawdust pellets. Both of these types of fuel sources are renewable and provide clean energy that is no way connected to fossil fuels.
Sawdust Pellets or Corn Pellets?
When selecting a pellet stove, some thought should be given to the type of fuel that will be burned in the stove. Should you use corn pellets or sawdust pellets? Both types of fuel options offer environmentally friendly options due to the fact that they are clean. Wood pellets were originally produced in the 1970s in response to the growing energy shortage as well as environmental concerns of the time. Rather than sawdust from paper mills, saw mills and furniture mills being dumped into landfills, it is instead generated into pellets that can be used as a clean and efficient heating source. They provide an all natural fuel alternative, as no binders or glue are used. The sawdust is simply pressed into form. Corn pellets also offer a completely natural heating source, but there have been some environmental as well as political concerns regarding the use of corn as fuel. The primary concern about burning corn is that it could be contributing to a world food as well as energy shortage.
Is Burning Corn Contributing to the World Food and Energy Shortage?
There has been a tremendous amount of concern regarding the fact that as more food, such as corn, is used to produce fuels that it could be contributing to the growing energy and world food shortage. While there are both critics on both sides of this debate, at the current time it would certainly seem that wood pellets are the more environmentally friendly choice as they prevent sawdust from being placed in landfills and do not detract from food supplies.