Use LP and Save a Tree!

Space heating is, by far, the most energy intensive application in an American household. And space heating gallons provide the bedrock demand that many propane dealers rely on. For households located beyond the reach of natural gas infrastructure, one such space heating competitor that LPG marketers too often overlook is wood.

Nationally, wood is the primary heating fuel in 2.3 million households. Collectively, these homes burn 191.3 trillion Btus worth of wood annually, or the energy equivalent of 2 billion gallons of propane. Wood stoves are found throughout the U.S., but are especially popular in the West and South.

Burning wood, however, is not all it’s cracked up to be. Wood smoke contains high levels of particulate matter that can negatively affect our respiratory and cardiovascular systems and degrades local air quality. Burning propane instead of wood prevents deforestation and a reduction in woody habitat for flora and fauna. And trees, of course, give off oxygen. But they also act as natural carbon sinks and absorb CO₂ directly from the air. In fact, trees pioneered the art of direct air capture. In addition, these magical plants play a vital role in storing excess water and act as natural water filters as well. And the list goes on…

Trees are amazing. They are incredibly valuable to the planet and humanity. And without question, if propane was not an energy option in the marketplace, more households would burn trees to keep warm during the heating season. So, to sum it up: Use LP and Save a Tree!

For more information, contact NPGA’s Director of State Affairs, Jacob Peterson.