OT: A philosophical note

["Scott Willing" <willing@mb.sympatico.ca>]

Howdy stovers.

I first discovered the stoves list while doing research into solar 
power in anticipation of some day making a move to a rural 
homestead. The plan was to try to disconnect somewhat from 
consumer society, reduce my ecological footprint and see how far I 
could go to achieving a sustainable post-consumer existence. 
Through research into solar power, I found Crest, and from Crest 
came stoves.

In due course, and far more easily than I expected, I did indeed 
leave the city behind.

I signed onto stoves initially because I now heat my little space 
with a combination of passive solar and wood, and there is 
precious little unbiased information available about stoves in a 
North American context. Beyond the mental picture of iron stoves 
for heating and cooking, and the experience of living quite happily 
for weeks at a time with my little backpack stove (running highly 
refined fossil fuel of course) I had never given much thought to 
stoves in the past.

I quickly found out that the stoves list is populated by a dedicated 
collection of highly-skilled experts scattered all over the world. For 
the most part it would appear that this group is developing low-
cost, high-efficiency, cheap and locally-produceable stoves to 
improve the lives of people far, far less privileged than myself. 
People who would think of having my old airtight heater, and having 
abundant wood to feed it, as the height of luxury. (Which it is.)  

I remain subscribed to the stoves list despite the fact that 90% of 
the posts go over my head due to their highly technical nature. (If 
they involved MOSFET transistors I might be able to keep up!)

Lately I've been wondering why I do remain subscribed.

I think it is probably because I have a persistent dream of a world in 
which knowledge is shared for the common good in an atmosphere 
of mutual respect, rather than being held in secret for exploitation 
by a select few. As much as this seems impossibly utopian ideal, I 
can't stop asking the simple question "why not?"

Despite the deluge of daily emails, many of which invite me to 
spend more money on more useless stuff, I think I stay subscribed 
to the list because it is a small window into the world that I would 
wish for all of us. I only wish I could assist in some way.

Bless you all.
Scott Willing
Boggy Creek, Manitoba
Canada

-
Stoves List Archives and Website:
http://www.crest.org/discussion/stoves/current/
http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Stoves.html

Stoves List Moderators:
Ron Larson, ronallarson@qwest.net
Alex English, english@adan.kingston.net
Elsen L. Karstad, elk@wananchi.com www.chardust.com

List-Post: <mailto:stoves@crest.org>
List-Help: <mailto:stoves-help@crest.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:stoves-unsubscribe@crest.org>
List-Subscribe: <mailto:stoves-subscribe@crest.org>

Sponsor the Stoves List: http://www.crest.org/discuss3.html
-
Other Biomass Stoves Events and Information:
http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/bioam/
http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/biomass-info/
http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/biomass-info/carbon.shtml

For information about CHAMBERS STOVES
http://www.ikweb.com/enuff/public_html/Chamber.htm