Re: Crippled by technology
"Good luck with that in the UK soon, given the 38% of air pollution they generate."
Define "pollution". In terms of global pollutants like CO2, woodburning stoves are neutral. Trees do grow on trees, after all, and there's plenty of managed forests here in the UK so no reason to specially import endangered rainforests or anything (unfortunately it does still happen, but enforcing sustainable wood would not mean banning fires). When it comes to local pollutants like the currently popular NOx, that's only relevant in places where it actually builds up. As you note yourself, vehicles get restricted from operating in cities, not in the Scottish highlands.
So why should it be any different for things like stoves? There are plenty of remote rural buildings that don't even have the option of gas heating and are forced to rely on either solid fuel or oil. Crippling them just because central London is stinking shithole is hardly a sensible or proportionate response. Local restrictions in places that actually have issues with things like NOx, and have sensible alternatives available, probably make sense. Blanket bans on everyone, even in places where wood is easily the cleanest and most sustainable option, would just be stupid.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
