My Burning Shame
Recently, the Guardian Newspaper published a column by respected activist and journalist, George Monbiot, titled “My burning shame: I fitted […]
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Candidates respond to AQ questionnaire
Breathe Clean Air sent a questionnaire on air quality to candidates running in Comox Valley’s 2022 local government elections. Most […]
Ultrafines: Counting particles by number highlights risk
Ultrafine particles (diameter of 0.1 microns or less) are considered more harmful to human health than larger particles. Their microscopic […]
Annual health cost of wood heating in Comox Valley = $76 million
“Wood heaters really punch above their weight when it comes to polluting the atmosphere. Any scheme that replaces wood heaters […]
How is this legal?
For the last six years, Breathe Clean Air has been asking for change that will clean up our air and […]
Comox byelection candidates respond to air quality questions
Breathe Clean Air circulated a questionnaire on air quality to the four candidates running in the November 2021 Comox byelection. […]
Very long way to go to meet new WHO air guidelines
A few weeks ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced new, stronger guidelines for air pollutants. WHO warns that “exceeding […]
Court denies industry challenge to audits for wood stoves
If you are confident in your product, why would you fight so hard to ensure no other testing of your […]
Australia: regulatory failure and lack of stove replacements costing lives and money
An article from Australia, “Wood heaters: lung cancer risk equivalent to passive smoking” highlights the failure of programs that emphasize […]
Industry proposal promotes wood burning for long-term
In June and July, the wood stove industry, the Hearth, Patio and Barbeque Association (HPBA), presented a “three pillar proposal” […]
Australian city votes to work on ban of wood heating!
The City council for Nedlands in Western Australia (WA), recently passed a motion aimed at banning wood stoves within their […]
How successful was Libby wood stove exchange? Not very.
Libby, Montana is often showcased by the wood stove industry as a successful example how replacing old stoves with new […]
REPORT: Certified wood stoves may not be better than stoves they replace
A brand new report from state air agencies in the US Northeast concludes “…the existing [EPA] program provides no confidence […]
Who is supposed to pay for education & enforcement?
When people defend the use of wood stoves, they often say things like: “people just need to learn to burn […]
Wood stoves triple PM2.5 inside homes
According to a recent article in the Guardian “Wood burners triple the level of harmful pollution particles inside homes and […]
Take action this National Non-smoking Week
This week is “National Non-smoking Week” (January 15-21, 2021). While the focus is on cigarette smoking, it is a good […]
Poor venting leads to build up of pollution
These images are from Monday morning from 2 different webcams in the valley. They clearly highlight what happens when people […]
$3200 rebates in Cumberland & West Courtenay
The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) is offering a rebates to eligible residents who remove their 5+ year old wood-burning appliance […]
High healthcare costs of a single wood stove
A new study from the University of Tasmania’s Menzies Institute for Medical Research highlights the high healthcare impacts and costs of […]
Clean Air Day 2020
Today is Clean Air Day in Canada. Fortunately, we have clean air in the Comox Valley right now as people […]
Courtenay bans new installations
This week Courtenay Council passed a new bylaw banning the installation of wood stoves in new construction or in homes […]
Record: Breathing always hard for some Comox Valley residents
The Comox Valley Record published a great story (March 30, 2020) on burning restrictions during COVID-19 and the impact of […]
Globe opinion: To help flatten the curve, let’s clean our air
Three BC experts co-wrote an opinion piece in the Globe and Mail that highlights the impact on air pollution on […]
Open Burning restrictions in response to COVID-19
There are different burn bans in our region to help protect people’s health during COVID-19 pandemic. As BC has noted in […]
Letter to elected officials: Improve health outcomes by reducing burning
Breathe Clean Air sent this letter to local elected officials today. If you are concerned about the impacts of burning […]
Lungs don’t care it is “just start-up smoke”
When industry rates wood stove emissions, the tests are not required to include the start-up smoke. And any bylaws that […]
Healthier Home Video from Cowichan
Our fellow CVRD down island (Cowichan Valley Regional District) has produced this wonderful short video highlighting the benefits of switching […]
This National Non-Smoking Week we need action on this 2nd hand smoke
This week, Breathe Clean Air circulated this image to elected officials, health organizations and others to highlight the huge source […]
Learn to talk to people about wood smoke
Are you wanting to learn more about how to talk to people about wood smoke issues in the Comox Valley? […]
Check out our new ad!
Breathe Clean Air’s new 1/4 page ad highlights the health impacts of wood smoke pollution (see p. 38 of the […]
Doctor speaks out about wood smoke
Wood smoke pollution is unfortunately plaguing many towns and cities worldwide. This opinion piece, “If we’re serious about improving the […]
Students walk through smoke
Imagine the concern if this much cigarette smoke was part of the daily walk to and from school? These photos […]
Use savings from reduced health impacts and costs to fund solutions
We know that air pollution like wood smoke creates a range of health issues, from mild, to severe, to even […]
Wood heat is a massive source of PAHs
Although we often focus on the high amounts of harmful fine particulate matter in wood smoke, it is important to […]
Air Pollution Particles Found in Placenta
Breathing in wood smoke impacts far more than our lungs. The fine particulates in the smoke cause inflammation and that […]
What people hear when they get sick
Many people would express sympathy if you got sick from being exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke. They would understand the […]
Non-Smokers dying of lung cancer
According to an article in the Guardian, a recent study shows that 1 in 6 people in the UK who […]
For COPD patients: Biomass Smoke Likened to Risk Posed By Tobacco Smoke
According to the website, COPD News Today, “Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients who are exposed frequently to biomass smoke emitted […]
CVRD: Say no to wood stove rebates (UPDATE: They did!)
In February, Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) Director Ken Grant brought forward a resolution to significantly increase rebates for all […]
These houses cost an arm, leg and a lung
Does air pollution impact real estate values? Should it? Many times people have told Breathe Clean Air “I never would […]
NEW Brochure! Wood Smoke in the Comox Valley
Breathe Clean Air is please to announce the release of our new four-page brochure on wood smoke in the Comox […]
Comox says no to new stove installations
On March 5th, the Comox Council voted to disallow any new installations of wood burning appliances in new homes and […]
Wood not always the cheapest heat
Many say they use wood heat is because it is cheaper to operate than other sources of heat. But is […]
National Non-Smoking Week
This week is National Non-Smoking Week. Although the focus is on getting people to stop smoking cigarettes, we know all […]
Air Quality Advisory Committee in our future?
This week, CVRD approved a motion to get staff to investigate setting up an air quality advisory committee by Spring […]
FILM: Cost of Wood Heating
Breathe Clean Air is happy to launch a new film we had made about the cost of wood heating. The […]
BC LUNG: “The toxic truth about wood smoke”
This article is from the BC Lung Association: Isn’t wood a source of renewable energy? A natural substance? A heat […]
Improved rebate program – 5 year old stoves eligible!
CVRD has improved its wood stove exchange program! If you have a stove that is manufactured before 2014, you can […]
LETTER – Health policies regarding wood smoke need to be updated
The following is a Letter to the Editor from a local nursing student. It was published in the Comox Valley […]
Worse than at least 18 diesel cars
Reducing fine particulate pollution from diesel vehicles has been the focus of many efforts to clean up our air. Emissions […]
36% of homes produce 73 times more pollution
In the Comox Valley, wood heat generates 73 times more harmful fine particulate matter (PM2.5) than all other sources of […]
Why no advisory?
This morning we exceeded, for the first time this fall, the BC Air Quality Objective for a 24 hour period […]
Decafnation: Comox Valley has a wood stove problem
Decafnation, wrote an article on wood smoke pollution in the Comox Valley after attending a recent talk by Jennell Ellis […]
Presentation: The Air We Breathe
The Sustainability Action Group for the Environment (SAGE) is hosting an informational evening on the impact of wood smoke on […]
More on Candidate Positions on Air Quality
An election 2018 questionnaire by Decafnation asked candidates a question specific to air quality: What can [your area] do to improve […]
Vital Signs 2018: More people concerned about air quality
Earlier this week, the Comox Valley Community Foundation released its Vital Signs 2018 report. One notable change since the last report […]
Candidates respond to Air Quality Questionnaire
NEWS RELEASE: Oct. 3, 2018 Candidates in the local government elections have responded to an air quality questionnaire distributed by […]
Risk of dementia 70% higher in homes with wood stoves
Researchers at the Umea University in northern Sweden have studied air quality in homes where wood-fire stoves are used and […]
Is wood heating climate change friendly?
Using wood for home heating is often touted as a climate change and environmentally friendly fuel. But is it?
Things can change
Remember when we thought filtered cigarettes were healthier and ads actually used the words “smoke clean smoke”? Remember when doctor’s […]
The Affordability Challenge
One of the most common arguments in favour of wood heat is that it is affordable. Concerns are often raised […]
Videos from Public Forum on Air Quality
On March 14th, Breathe Clean Air hosted a public forum on air quality. Over 80 people attended, including a number […]
Nursing students talk about air quality
On March 8th, two nursing students, Samantha DesRoches (left) and Emma Paul (right) set up at North Island College to share […]
Your input needed: CVRD survey on home heating and air quality
The Comox Valley Regional District has launched a new survey aimed at understanding how Comox Valley residents heat their homes […]
Wood smoke negates other efforts to reduce pollution
Wood burning–once thought of by many as a people and earth-friendly source of heat–is worsening pollution in cities in Europe. […]
Cumberland to look into no new installations of wood stoves
Last December, Cumberland staff introduced for first reading some new bylaws to regulate wood stoves in the town. Unfortunately, the bylaws […]
Public meeting on Air Quality in the Comox Valley
We are hosting a public meeting on Air Quality in the Comox Valley. The event will be Wednesday, March 14th, […]
Bad Air for Santa (Air Advisory issued Dec. 24)
Another Air Advisory was issued this morning for the Comox Valley. This is our 4th advisory so far this winter. Not the Christmas present […]
Was $2.5 million on wood stove exchange worth it?
Does focusing on getting people to switch to newer stoves work? Did it work after one town spent $2.5 million […]
Another Air Advisory issued (Dec. 11)
Another Air Advisory was issued this morning for the Comox Valley. This is our 3rd advisory so far this winter. Inversions are trapping air, […]
Air Advisory issued Dec. 7th
An air advisory was issued on Dec. 7th for the Comox Valley. Please check your weather channels or websites to […]
MEDIA: B.C. government releases report on Courtenay air quality and meteorology patterns
Breathe Clean Air was in the news last week, commenting on the recently released study on air quality and meteorology […]
New study on Air Quality & Meteorology for Courtenay
The BC government has released a new report on Air Quality in Courtenay “Patterns of Air Quality and Meteorology in […]
Air Advisory issued (Nov. 7).
An air advisory was issued on Tuesday, Nov. 7th for the Comox Valley. Please check your weather channels or websites […]
New summary report of mobile monitoring in the Comox Valley
Last February, a researcher did extensive mobile monitoring in parts of the Comox Valley (see our write-up about the study). […]
Rebates for new wood stoves: Not effective solution to pollution
BC’s wood stove exchange program provides rebates for the removal of highly polluting, uncertified wood stoves. In a positive step, […]
UPDATED: Air Quality Health Index not good assessment of risk
When our smoke levels go up, whether from wildfire smoke in the summer or residential wood burning in the winter, […]
No safe level of exposure
A US study by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that death rates among people over […]
Smoke forecast tool
This summer, as wildlife smoke blows in and out of town, many are concerned about their health and want to […]
Smoky Skies Bulletin issued
A “Smoky Skies Bulletin” has been expanded to include most of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. These new bulletin […]
Questions for Candidates
It’s election time in BC and candidates will be knocking on doors and canvassing by phone. This is a great chance to […]
2017 Mobile Monitoring – Preliminary results
This past January-February, a mobile monitoring study of fine particulates was conducted in the Comox Valley for two weeks. Two […]
Air Quality Forum April 4th
There is an important AIR QUALITY FORUM in the Comox Valley on Tuesday, April 4th. This is an “Elected Officials […]
‘Eco’ wood stove pollutes 25 times more than truck
“It does not seem logical that an eco-labelled stove is allowed to pollute 25 times more than a 10 year […]
Presentation to Cumberland Council (March 13)
This Monday night (March 13th), Earle Plain, our regional Air Quality Meteorologist, and Dr. Charmaine Enns, our Medical Health Officer, […]
NEWS RELEASE on heart attacks and wood smoke study
Breathe Clean Air issued the following news release today about a health study done in Courtenay/Comox and two other communities […]
Local air quality getting media coverage
On Monday, CTV Vancouver Island aired a piece on air quality in the Comox Valley “Courtenay’s air quality second-worst in […]
On the Island interview: health impacts of air pollution
The following is a transcript of an interview by radio host Gregor Craigie with guest Dr. Paul Hasselback, a Medical […]
New Mobile Monitoring Study
A UBC researcher is undertaking a new mobile monitoring study of the Comox Valley this winter. From January 25 to […]
The air we share
The photos below were taken in Courtenay, Cumberland, Comox and CVRD in November 2016.These are not being shared to target specific homes. […]
Monitor location makes sense (letter to editor)
On Nov. 25th, the Comox Valley Echo reported on comments from CVRD Directors, Ken Grant and Larry Jangula (click on […]
High Health Risk & Air Advisory Issued
Late at night, on November 17th, the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) for the Comox Valley was set at a […]
Wood smoke puts children at risk
The American Lung Association in California issued a news release on Nov. 1st which highlights the dangers of wood smoke to […]
Cumberland votes to ban backyard burning
After hard work by volunteers for Breathe Clean Air and Cumberland Families for Clean Air, the Cumberland Council voted narrowly […]
Lack of action continues in the Valley
“Health concerns about wood smoke are driving some B.C. municipalities to ban old, inefficient stoves starting as early as next […]
New appliance regulations do not address current air quality problem
The Comox Valley Record published an article on the new wood stove regulations in B.C. “Changes to the solid fuel […]
Local air quality featured on Shaw TV
Air quality was featured in Shaw TV’s September’s broadcast of “Judi’s Comox Valley Stories”. The 12 minute piece by Judi […]