When I was stationed Alameda, I used to stay with my brother in San Jose. During the winters, he would occasionally fire up his fireplace and heat the living room.
It was really nice.
Some folks like to burn a few logs on the holidays. I imagine that would be nice as well.
Until the fireplace police knock on the door and shake you down…on Christmas day:
Bay Area air pollution inspectors found 47 violators burning wood fires illegally during Christmas Day’s Spare the Air alert — which was declared because cold, unhealthful air had been forecast.
The tally was more than double the 22 violators detected on Thanksgiving, when the Bay Area Air Quality Management District also called a Spare the Air alert.
Violators get written warnings for a first offense and $400 fines for a second offense.
My first question was: What the heck is “Spare the Air” and why does it involve a person’s fireplace?
One Bing later, I now know:
The Spare the Air Program was established by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to educate people about air pollution and to encourage them to change their behavior to improve air quality.
And:
The Winter Spare the Air season runs from November 1, 2009, through February 28, 2010. During this period, it will be illegal to burn wood, pellets, or manufactured fire logs when a Winter Spare the Air Alert is issued.
When our morning forecast predicts that concentrations of PM2.5 will exceed the national health-based standard, the Air District will issue a Winter Spare the Air Alert. Winter Spare the Air Alerts will be posted on our Spare the Air home page and on the Air District’s www.baaqmd.gov home page.
I find it interesting that out of the three days that have been declared for the Winter Spare the Air season, one was on Thanksgiving and the other was on Christmas day. Probably just a coincidence. Probably didn’t have anything to do with the fact that people would be more likely to say, “Damn the Man! I’m burning anyway.”
Well, your holiday traditions and personal comfort take a backseat to the common good:
While critics have bashed the air district for intruding on a holiday burning tradition, a spokesman for the agency defended the Christmas crackdown Monday, saying it was done to protect public health from soot that can trigger asthma attacks, and aggravate other respiratory and heart problems.
“We know a lot of people like to burn on this holiday, but it’s our duty to protect public health,” said Ralph Borrmann, the spokesman.
Ralph’s office answered 216 calls on Christmas day. Some to ask about the burn rule, but some called to complain.
How uptight do you have to be to call the Man on someone Christmas Day?
I’m glad I moved out of California when I did. The level of asshattery in the state is at an all time high.
However, there are some people there who still pine for liberty. I went to the Spare the Air Facebook fan page (oh yeah, they have one), and found some great comments:
Love it.
