Yes Sir.. Those Back Yard Fire Pits Are the Reason For the Poor Air Quality In Prince George

By Ben Meisner

Here we go again. , The Air Quality Implementation Committee takes a shot at the individual home owner, but when it comes to the air quality, the word "industry" barely warrants a mention.

You could have almost guessed without looking at the report who would get targeted, those pesky people who decide to have a wiener roast in their back yard  during the summer have to quit that practice. It is according to the report causing air quality problems. How much does the practice contribute to the air quality in the city…. Don’t know but we hope to know in a few months.

Of course there is no mention of the back yard Barbeque which, when roasting your hamburger, contributes more to the quality of the air shed , that's simply to tough to sell to the public.  

Just what does the back yard fire contribute to the air shed? 1% or less because every report that you read suggests that before we start hammering on the individual home owner we should be tackling industry, but of course, industry has the money and they will take you to court, the average Joe can’t afford the cost of the court action, so we can hammer them all we like.

Would someone have the guts of conviction to start with the major problem of air quality in this city, industry? The problem has been and  continues to be, that we go after the flea on the elephant instead of the animal itself. This practice has been going on for the past 2 decades and until we muster up the courage to meet the problem head on would those involved please quit hammering on the average Joe?

We weren’t told the last go round just how much the back yard wiener roast contributed to the air quality and so far after several years , they still haven’t been able to come up with a figure, except to say , outlaw the practice.

There is also another issue the group might want to tackle first and that is the matter of just what is a public nuisance?  If the courts say that you don’t have the right to decide the issue then any by law is doomed to the same ash can as other by laws in this city that were good and nothing more.

If the city wants to pony up the money for new wood stoves in homes around the city, fair and well. There is an argument to be made in that regard. But in the final analysis put your money were it will do the most good and so far over the past two decades no one has done that.

 I’m Meisner and that’s one man's opinion.

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