Some Burning Questions on Campfires

When we're out camping, it's always a treat to sit around a campfire roasting hot dogs or s'mores. But, unless the fire is necessary for warmth or food, I think it really is best as a treat that happens rarely, not an every-night event. We typically save it for the final night.


Here's my thinking on the matter: 1. When dead trees decay naturally, they release the same amount of GHGs as when they are burned, but it happens much faster unnecessarily. 2. The more firewood people buy, the more trees are felled for the wood, so we can stare at something pretty. So the fewer trees we have to absorb carbon dioxide. I think trees are more important (and prettier) than fires. 3. Even if people only burn wood they find on the forest floor, so no trees are cut then dried for fires, those decaying trees on the ground provide important habitat for many insects, birds and animals.

Any arguments to the contrary? (So I can feel okay about that last night of the trip.)

If you're going to have a fire, don't do it like this:


Campfire Fun - Explosion - Funny blooper videos are here

Do it a bit more like this:


How to Minimize Your Campfire's Impact on the Environment -- powered by eHow.com