Team Biomass Plunges into Icy Potomac River

Supporters of wood, pellet and corn heating plunged into the Potomac River on January 14^th during a light snowfall to raise money for a group that fights global warming. Pictured here (right to left), Sat Jiwan Ilke-Khalsa, head of the Takoma Park Corn Heating Co-op and an Alliance Advisory Board member, Delegate Heather Mizeur, who introduced a bill to incentivize residential biomass heat, Jeremy Crandall and Moira Moynihan, two of Heather’s brave and loyal staff, and John Ackerly, head of the Alliance for Green Heat.

Team Biomass raised more than $1,500 for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, a group that fights for renewable energy, including thermal biomass.  Not pictured is Team Biomass’s bravest member: an 8 year-old girl who also dove into the river and is already becoming a wood heat activist.

Others who took the plunge included Congressional Representative Donna Edwards and noted NASA climate scientist James Hansen, one of the very first people who brought climate change to the attention of policymakers when he testified on Capitol Hill in 1988.

Great Charity and PR Opportunity for Hearth Stores

An Arizona hearth stove store is running a promotion where customers purchasing a new stove are given the chance to trade in their old one for a tax deduction.  The old stoves are then donated to local families in need.  We at the Alliance think this is a great idea, so long as the old stove is EPA certified!  Assuming the hearth store gives these older stoves to a charity, and the donation receipt is from that charity, the customer can still get a decent tax deduction based on value of stove, even if the stove is disabled and given to a steel recycler.  If this could catch on nationally, stove retailers could provide a great service to the air we breathe and help get their customers a nice tax break.  And since the 10% federal tax credit is all but certain to disappear in 2012, this a great way to extend some tax help to customers.  The Alliance would be happy to help try to expand what this Arizona store has started.  Anyone interested?


Here is the transcript of the ad:

Want to stay warm this winter and make a difference at the same time?  How?  When you upgrade your home by adding or replacing your heat source with a new wood, gas or pellet burning stove and donate your old stove at Roof Dancers, the warmest little stove shop in Northern Arizona, you get a huge tax credit.  Roof Dancers will donate your old stove, on your behalf, to a Northern Arizona Outreach providing quality alternate sources of heat to needy families.  You get the tax credit and a family who can put your used quality wood, gas or pellet burning stove to good use gets the warmth, a real win-win.  Roof Dancers is the area expert on long burning wood stoves. Stoves that heat evenly, last longer and conserve energy while helping the environment.  Ask a friend, chances are they got their stove from Roof Dancers.  Stop by and check out the all new Blaze King, the only wood stove in the market that looks great and can up to 50 hours on a single fill of wood. There’s nothing like it, Roof Dancers, on 4th street, next door to Sonic.