August/September 1979 RAIN Page 15 which has resulted in the lack of tax credits promoting usc of wood fuel as an offset for fossil fuels and dangerous nuclear powered thermal electric generators. Copies of this report arc available through the Department of Energy, Washington, D.C. I urge you request a copy. Obviously, the findings in the " Booz-Allen" report arc in direct confl ict with present White House policy. Wood 'n Energy, Spring 1979 (pub. by The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, 5 S. State St., Concord, NH 03301), reports that Ron Saldi of Williamstown, Vermont, is successfully operating a wood-fired hot water heating system in his new shopping center. Approximately 21,000 sq. ft. of space in a renovated school building was maintained at 72 degrees for winter 1978 at a fuel cost savings of $20,000. (Oil costs were estimated at 52.9 cents per ga!.). Of special interest is the notice of severance of the relationship between the "Society" and Wood Energy Institute. I recommend membership in the Society for Protection of New Hampshire Fort:sts to those who arc serious about wood energy and its usc. Individual memberships are $10 per year ($6 for students and senior citizens). Correspondence should be addressed to the above. Higher prices of fossil fuel will induce a shortage of high quality wood burning appliances this year. World-wide demand will exceed the product availability by approximately 100 percent (author's estimate). During periods of shortage it is reasonablc to expect a proliferation of poor quality, less durable, lower efficiency products being sold to the gullible, panicking consumer. Chimney sweeps (and a few reputable retailers) arc beginning to question safety problems associated with "fireplace inserts," sales of which are sweeping the marketplace. These devices are usually designed to slip into thc fireplacc cavity. Many of these u nits are difficult to remove for periodic chimney cleaning. None I have seen so far have made any provision for removing accumulated soot or creosote. Some units even require parts replacement, if lor when the unit is rcmoved for cleaning. Another potential problem is the possibility of live embers being sprayed into the home by a unit in which high velocity air passages may be separated from the fire box by only one layer of steel. Photographic evidence of this problem with fireplace heat exchangers is included in safety presentations made by the Oregon Enngy Extension Service, Corvallis, Oregon. I FOOD I t u 5 ::! :I ~ Does Everything 'Cause Cancer? A Food Safety Primer, Greta Bunin and Michael Jacobson, 11 pp., 1979, $1.00 ea. ($.50 ea. for orders of 10 or more) from: Center for Science in the Public Interest 1755 SSt., N.W. Washington, DC 20009 "The use of saccharin instead of sugar and corn sweeteners [in soft drinksJ results in a total excess charge to thc consumer of about $280 million per year." With saccharin being such a money maker for the food industry, it is no wonder why the business is so reluctant to sec it banntd. This controversy, over whether or not to ban saccharin and other carcinogens, is causing confusion amongst the general public. Greta Bunin and Michael Jacobson of the Center for Science in thc Public Intercst have tried to case some of this confusion by writing a booklet entitled Does Everything Cause Cancer? A Food Safety Primer. In it, not only do they address the issuc of saccharin and nitrates, but they also examine the controversy over whether or not to strengthen or weaken the Ddaney Amendment the piece of legislation which prohibits the usc of a food additive if it causes cancer. Because the booklet is limittd in size, it docs not answer all the questions regarding thcse subjects. However, it does providc an ovtrview of the problem which will be useful as an educational too!' - Y L Edible City Resource Center The center located in Eugene, Oregon was formed to help coordinate the urban agriculture movement in that area. Consultation, education scrvices and agriculture demonstrations are offered. Currently, the center has a contract to develop a four-phased agriculture program for the Whiteaker Neighborhood. The phases are : neighborhood fa rms pruject, bloc~ and community farms with gardens, fruit and nut trees and small animals; schuol garden proj· ect, gardening and nutrition educa tional programs; edible tree project, neighborhood wide community orchard system, tree planting, main tenance; neighburhood outreach project, educational and technical support services for the long-term maintenance of the previous phases. For further information write: Edible City Resource Center c/o P.O. Box 3282 Eugene, OR 97403 -PC ~ BAD GUYS I Hamburger USA, American Friends Service, 278 slides with 28 minute eassette tape, 1978, $75 per copy, $15 per showing, from: Return to Resources and Social Order Program American Friends Service Committee 2160 Lake Street San Francisco, CA 94121 If our country is serious about reducing its energy consumption we should en courage the decentralization of the food industry. (I n the winter 70 percent of the lettuce in Boston salads is transpor ted from California.) The wasteful usc of fossil fuels for transportation and production of food is only one of many effects resulting from corporate involve ment in what we cat. Hamburger US'A, a colored slide show, uses the cheese ~ , ~ ~ ~ ~ ::_ V, ... 0 - !.:~ ",-"", . a ~ IOWA 8EE~' ;: ,~. ~ ~ "t~~;1';) ~ ~~CARcij_L.L/~ ~ burger as a tool to demonstrate the extent of economic concl:ntration in the food system. Each part of the sand wich is examined from bun to burger. We see how public supported universi ties have developed mechanized farm equipment to pick tomatoes which has resulted in unemployment for the farm laborer and contributed to the factors causing the sale of thousands of small farms. The show is both entertaining and informative, highlighting the en vironmental and social costs of agri business. Oh yes, the alternativl:s arc mentioned also- food co-ops, ~)rgan ic farming, farmers' markets, etc. A good introduction to the world according to Kraft. - PC
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