Provincial Wood Stove Exchange Program
Wood Stove Exchange Implementation Information and Program Basics
Residential Wood Smoke Problem
Residents throughout the Canadian Provinces are known to have older wood stoves that produce an excessive amount of residential wood smoke. These wood stoves do not meet Canadian or United States emission standards and are, in fact, considered dirty burners that negatively contribute to the local environment, air quality and can impact local residents’ health.
In some areas throughout the provinces, wood burning can account for up to 10 percent of household heating on average and there are many households that heat exclusively with wood. This can result in more wood burning in local neighborhoods with greater potential impacts to the health and well being of these communities. This is a problem that needs correcting in order to avoid further increases in levels of harmful wood smoke particulates in these communities and to help these communities clean up their existing problem.
Wood Stove Exchange Programs
- Wood stove exchange programs offer a solution to the residential wood smoke problem. These programs can help reduce the amount of air pollution from wood smoke in your area by replacing old wood burning technology for new appliances. This is a voluntary program that provides information and incentives (e.g., rebates or discounts) to encourage people to replace their old, conventional wood stove with a cleaner burning gas, wood, or pellet stove.
- An exchange program is a partnership between government, the wood stove industry, and other stakeholders, such as chimney sweeps, energy efficiency experts, health organizations and environmental organizations.
- To date, there are many stove exchanges that have taken place throughout Canada and many more throughout the U.S.
Wood Stove Replacement Success
The best wood stove changeout programs utilize Community Based Social Marketing (CBSM) or elements of CBSM. This form of marketing requires understanding the situation (through research), becoming aware of the needs of target audiences, identifying the barriers and uncovering perceived benefits to the target, as well as defining the necessary incentives to encourage behavior change and adoption by the community. Details on CBSM are available at www.cbsm.com.
While a wood stove exchange program can differ from community to community, there are a number of program elements that are critical. It is important that the organization implementing the exchange program is committed to working with community organizations in a collaborative manner. This list can include organizations that might be considered traditionally antagonistic. For example, unlikely partners these days could include health officials and local wood stove industry representatives. These groups, with different and unique perspectives, have come together in many communities in recent years to solve the common problems created by residential wood smoke through creative marketing and programmatic options, such as wood stove exchanges.
New Wood Stoves Meet the Test
Wood stoves that meet the Canadian emissions standards or U.S. requirements perform at a much greater level of efficiency than older stoves. They use approximately one-third less wood, produce significantly less wood smoke — 70 percent according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) — and are more efficient at heating a home or living space.
Gas stoves and pellet stoves are even more efficient, require little work and also produce the best emissions reductions over wood stoves. According to stove manufacturers, consumers find great satisfaction in these new stoves and are always impressed by how much better they burn compared to the older wood stoves that are the subject of this report. The new technology stoves are used differently than older stoves. Newer stoves require less wood overall but need to be loaded with more frequency. For example, old stoves can be loaded once every 12 hours, while the new stoves require more attention. Points like this need to be considered in this program so that people are prepared.
Wood Stove Exchange Basics
The following comprise the basic elements of a wood stove exchange program:
- Resident replaces old stove for a new one.
- Incentives and retailer discounts provided to help people make the change.
- Destruction of old stoves is part of the agreement.
- The program is a multi-year effort, and is promoted for a minimum of eight weeks a year for the incentive.
- Utilize tools already created through other programs (don't reinvent the program).
- The program is best run outside of the heating season (in late summer, late winter or early spring).
Who is the Target Audience?
Unlike other demographic breakdowns, wood stove users do not breakdown easily into demographic pools. However, they do fall into three behaviour categories pertaining to wood stove replacements: hesitant (those who would like to upgrade but believe it is too expensive); resistant (those who are not interested); and unaware (those who have not heard of the new technology and aren’t aware of the health risks.)
Within this discussion, message targeting is difficult as age and gender do not stand out as being a significant predictor of attitudes. Nor do demographics as it pertains to how people felt about the environment. A more likely way to provide parameters around the hesitant, resistant and unaware is by considering the factors that influence their awareness about burning, such as where they live in relationship to town and their level of education. Adding in messages about their commitment to the community and their family’s health are also factors that should be considered.
Based on these inputs, here’s a rough breakdown of what these three categories might look like in terms of demographics, circle of influence and location within a community, although this is a variable picture:
- Hesitant: More likely a younger to middle age consumer with a higher level of education, a family (or plans for a family), lives closer to town, and has strong ties to helping the community. This person is more likely open minded about how to change his or her behavior and probably participates in recycling activities.
- Resistant: Older person that is mistrusting of technology and has a long history of wood burning. Probably someone more traditional who doesn’t want to see his or her rights limited, and is probably more of a maverick when it comes to taking advice on his or her habits. This person is also more likely to change behavior over a longer period of time.
- Unaware: This person more likely lives in a rural environment and is not influenced by mass communications (or fliers from newspapers or television advertising). He or she is definitely less trusting about government and new technology than either the hesitant or resistant populations, and is fiercely independent. He or she does not tend to communicate with neighbors and less influenced by peer pressure.
Understanding Wood Stove Users
According to recent research within Canadian communities, there is a good data on wood smoke, wood burning and wood stove users. This data, for example, gives good context to why people might get a new appliance. For example, the main reasons for installing new appliances are: fuel efficiency, price and old equipment failure, while air quality ranks higher for future installations. The main reason people might consider an upgrade is because they have heard that new stoves are efficient, heat quickly, are very warm and use one-third less wood. Air quality is not a reason, in general. A program that advocates the elimination of heating with wood on a small (household) or large (community) level is not likely to be well received. However, recommending that people change in order to use less wood while fulfilling their heating needs is likely to be accepted.
Messaging That Resonates
- Eliminating the use of wood is not a good message because of the passion wood burners have regarding the enjoyment and benefit of having a fire.
- Recommending that people upgrade in order to use less wood and make stoves safer is often well received.
- Health messaging is often not well received because they are not deemed credible, except when visibility is an issue in a community.
- Education about the overall impacts is essential and helps behaviour change, but it also takes years of effort.
- People often don't know what is considered incorrect behaviour, such as using wood that is wet and if it possible to burn garbage.
Perspectives on Wood Burners
- Wood burners like the warm, comfortable heat produced by wood stoves and they appreciate that wood is an inexpensive fuel compared to other sources.
- Wood burners say that having a wood fire is very enjoyable, and they believe that burning wood is necessary for heat.
- In general, wood burners believe that wood heat is very much a different type of heat than heat from a central furnace.
- More specifically, they believe that wood is a consistent, independent, reliable and renewable fuel source.
- In many instances, electricity is a wood burner's other source of heat.
Wood Burners Believe in Their Knowledge
- When it comes to wood burners, many say they know how to manage a fire.
- They feel they generally do a good job with their firewood.
- Common methods people talk about to keep a fire burning properly include using dry wood, keeping the fire hot, keeping the stove and chimney clean and allowing the air to circulate.
- Although not widespread, some respondents say that they use accelerants to light the fire and keep it going.
- Many wood burners seem to be defensive and feel threatened by messages that imply wood burning is antisocial or not friendly to the environment.
- Wood burners, in general, say they make an effort to reduce the amount of wood smoke that they generate by using seasoned wood and building hotter fires.
Wood Smoke Attitudes
- People generally don't see wood smoke as an issue, but instead say that cars and industry are definitely the big issues of concern when it comes to their communities.
- When people dislike wood smoke (and it not often) it is because of odour, although health and smoke visibility can be issues.
- Stains within the home can also be a problem. But no matter their concerns, people often like the smell of wood smoke.
- Attitudes about wood smoke shift when people discuss the type of wood they are burning or if they discuss garbage burning. This taints how people think of wood smoke.
- When the wood is dry and not garbage or other materials have been added to the fire, people believe that wood smoke is not offensive.
- When talking about a wood smoke problem, people tend to see it as their neighbours behaviours, instead of their own.
Health and Visibility
- For many, wood smoke seems to be unhealthy if it can be seen, although when people don't like wood smoke it is because of their knowledge of its negative health impacts.
- However, health is not credible as an issue with wood smoke, unless visibility is greatly impacted.
- While many people like the smell of wood smoke, it seems that if they can see it (it is visibly present), it is associated with negative health effects.
Exchange Dynamics and Benefits
- People are more likely to choose a wood burning replacement for a current wood burning product, instead of switching to another fuel.
- Newer equipment and better performance are the most common reasons why exclusive old wood stove users might switch.
- But regardless of the benefits, not many people are familiar with the idea of wood stove exchanges.
Environmental Concerns
- Chimney smoke in general is not listed as a great concern.
- However, those that have a concern about chimney smoke also have a concern about air quality.
- The impact of chimney smoke on air quality can be a powerful message, but it is localized and needs to be a realistic statement.
- Senior government, industry, local government, environmental groups, regional health authorities and the public are all important audiences to involve when communicating these messages.
Barriers for Replacement
- The most common barrier to replacing an old wood stove is cost, with installation and upgrades to the home as key cost issues.
- For many, the perceived cost is too much to justify, as is the idea that someone might need to come into their home, which can cost more, or might open up an insurance issue.
- While many people love the idea of trading out, it is a major financial issue.
- Incentives and buy back programs, or even tax refunds, are reported as being an interesting tool towards reducing the impact, but there is a huge need for greater assistance.
- People would also like inspectors to come out and give them advice on installation, house alterations and the size of the stove (this is certainly contradictory to the point that people don't want people coming into their homes — seems that they are OK if they are attached to specific advice).
Size of the Incentive
- The dollar value of incentives and what it will take, in general, for people to replace an old stove (whether it's $250, $400 or $1,000) is a question that cannot be adequately answered with the data that is available.
Resale of Old Stoves
- One issue regarding stove exchanges pertains to the resale of the old stoves. In order for an exchange program to be a success, the old stove needs to be removed from the marketplace.
- Because many old stoves seem to be resold if they are replaced, there appears to be a gap in understanding the issues surrounding stove replacements. (In some communities, people post old stoves for sale in newspaper classifieds. This is illegal in some U.S. areas).
- It is also important that the incentive for a replacement exceeds the going rate for an old stove on the market.
- In the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania program, the going rate for an old stove was around $600, making it a profitable resale appliance.
- An interesting barrier that many past exchanges have not considered is the perception that the new technology might not work.
- Some wood burners indicated a mistrust of the new technology and that repairs are often necessary because the stoves are more technical, coupled with the obvious belief that their old stoves work just fine.
Bylaws (Regulations)
- Bylaws are ultimately necessary to move people to exchange old stoves in the end.
- This assumption is based on a stove changeout program in Libby, Montana where there have been a number of incentives in place to help people make the replacement, but ultimately it has taken an impending regulation to increase the number of people engaged in replacement.
- In some U.S. regulations, such as the one in Libby, residents are unable to burn uncertified or old stoves after a certain date.
- Other regulations have included removal of an old stove when a home is sold, and then burning restrictions based on air quality levels, such as a burn ban on nights when the air quality is poor.
- Based on the data, balancing regulation and education seems necessary, as does focusing on personal incentives and benefits over health impacts.
- Wood burners appear to be receptive to regulation with the appropriate education.
- An analysis of bylaws in Canada shows that they can vary, and that enforcement, communications and penalties all differ.
- By coupling bylaws with education and clarifying the process for exchange, wood burners might become more receptive to wood stove replacements.
- Within the Highway 16 area, for example, research indicated that bylaws are not well received in that people see wood burning as integral to their daily lives.
- They also see bylaws as taking control away from their community.
- Respecting these beliefs and addressing them in publications and public education efforts will make the education process more successful.
- Allowing time for people to absorb the need for personal change is also something to consider.
Tangible Actions
- It is clear that wood burners are receptive to tangible actions.
- People are open to hearing that if each person reduced emissions by a small amount, the community would be noticeably affected.
- For example, people can be reminded about how to avoid a smoky fire by not dampening down, not adding accelerants, not adding garbage or not burning when air quality is degraded.
Partner Roles and Collaboration
- All exchanges require that partners play key roles, but that there is a champion motivating and organizing a local effort.
- Suppliers encourage retailer participation and level the economic playing field among participating retailers. Retailers promote the exchange program, new technologies and supply appliances.
- Local governments and organizations advocate the effort through existing channels, coordination, public education and participation.
- Local governments can also supply administrative support and be an information source for the public.
- Additional partners make the operations more complex, but offer more promotional rewards.
- Fuel suppliers, chimney sweeps, local community partners and environmental and health organizations create a bigger opportunity.
- Finally, people in the community can put pressure on neighbours to make good choices.
Demonstration Helps
- Wood burning demonstrations are important.
- People are continually amazed by the new technology, especially when they see old wood stoves burning next to new stoves.
- It's hard not to believe the benefit of the new technology when they are burning side-by-side.
- It seems important to define the portion of the air quality problem related to wood burning, and what the exchange process looks like.
- Educating through air quality warnings can help, as can responding to neighbourhood complaints.
Best Ways to Communicate
- Wood burners claim that the best way to communicate is through third party (or neutral) communication sources, whether that is publicity, discussion groups, workshops or town meetings, flyers, websites, personal phone calls or newsletters.
Lessons Learned from Past Efforts
- Have funding in place early on in the program.
- Develop a list of credible local partners.
- Work closely with local hearth retailers to run the program as close to September or October as possible or from January to March (when consumers are thinking about stoves).
- Include all types of appliances in the exchange, including certified wood burning stoves and gas and pellet stoves. Don't dissuade the installation of new wood burning appliances.
- Create a voucher system that gives homeowners the ability to shop at various retailers to receive a discount. The voucher can be used when the family is ready to make a change, but needs to be dependent on a deadline.
- Consider waiving building permit costs for installation in order to remove a simple barrier.
- Work with local retailers or local banks to make low cost financing available.
- Calculate annual fuel savings and then provide concrete examples of how new technology will help offset costs or the effort to collect firewood.
- Provide a toll free hotline for people to get more information.
- Understand how old stoves will be recycled and communicate it in the program. Make sure all old stoves are tracked and destroyed, and that proof of recycling is gathered from the retailers.
- Have an exit survey or evaluation attached to the conditions of the voucher to make it easy to get post-changeout data.
Marketing Recommendations Overview
Marketing a stove exchange program requires specific action. While the need for more information about the necessary amount of an incentive still requires more research, there are some key steps that can help ensure this exchange program has greater impact.
Best Practices for Marketing
- Combine a multi-year education program that supports the changeout.
- Focus activities primarily on the hesitant consumer.
- Implement research in each community to determine the specific demographic of the hesitant consumer in the market; learn what incentives work in their market; and understand individual behaviours around wood burning and the perception of wood smoke and barriers that might exist for people to replace their old appliances.
- Speak positively about wood burning to residents, and shine the light on wood-to-wood replacements with other fuel sources as options.
- Use cost savings and the need to replace old appliances due to safety (improper stove piping, old system, improper installation and creosote) as primary messages and then reinforce with messages about air quality and health when people are engaged in the program.
- Demonstrate the right way to burn wood through workshops or other learning opportunities.
- Focus on individual, tangible actions, and give them a staged approach to cleaning up their behaviour — first burn cleaner and then replace the old stove in the future.
- Demonstrate visibly how ineffective old wood stoves are burning wood, and the effectiveness of new technology stoves.
- Focus on health impacts in areas where visibility is an issue.
- Point out the benefits of replacement instead of making people feel that they are not respectful for their choice to burn wood.
- Continue on a path for promoting bylaws and develop a communications program that helps residents clearly understand the benefits of bylaws.
- Create a program where all partners understand their roles and where the retail process does not create additional barriers.
Marketing Recommendations Specifics
Focus on the Individual
Not only are clean burning freestanding stoves more efficient, better performing and more convenient, they have tremendous environmental benefits. It is important to highlight personal benefits to local residents while simultaneously applying tactics that foster community pressure on the individual to do the right thing. The primary focus of the exchange needs to be around value to the consumer. It’s better to focus on the benefits on changing out, and then focus on how they can then help the community around them. For example, tier messaging so that the individual understands that new stoves are efficient and cost effective, but also produce better health and local air quality.
Emphasize What is Working
When building a strong and effective wood stove exchange program, it is important to highlight what is working when it comes to how the community members burn wood. Emphasize what they are doing right and highlight resources available to help them to do it even better. Because of the loyalty and passion that people within the survey conveyed about wood burning, it would be a mistake to condemn them for doing something they believe is the right thing to do, both for the community and for their pocketbooks. It is better to emphasize what is working and show residents a path to an even more efficient fire. It is also important to distinguish between inefficient old wood stoves and efficient new wood stoves, and to show demonstrative evidence about what works best.
Create a Common Goal
We recommend highlighting a common goal for the community and building a program that teaches people to burn wood better while giving them accolades for doing the right thing and helping neighbors to do the right thing. The structure and messaging of the program is critical, as is the type and length of outreach. We recommend creating a program that speaks to a varied tier of audiences, building messaging that resonates with each audience and then carefully choosing the best methods to reach each audience. We do not recommend forcing people to make a change. Instead, give them the tools to do it right, and expect results over a period of time. More than anything, it would be to the advantage of the program to create a “bigger reason” for people to make a switch in order to ensure that their community is the best place to live in order to create more external pressure on behavior. Giving people ways to help prompt others will also be useful.
Ready to Make the Change
Focus the program on the hesitant consumer who is ready to make the change. This is the most willing audience. They should be provided access to the incentives and given the technical resources.
Make Smaller Commitments
For those not ready to make a change, we advocate that they tackle a smaller commitment such as having their chimney or getting their current stove serviced. Or, provide vouchers for free or discounted chimney cleaning services.
Finally, for the people who don't think there is a problem with wood smoke in the community, we advocate letting them come to the table at their own speed. Based on the numbers, it looks like there is plenty of opportunity for exchanges among audiences more likely to change out. We don't recommend trying to change the world, just make a noticeable difference that benefits air quality.
Tiered Messaging
The overall message needs to be “replace your old stove to save money and protect your home, but also to make the community a better place to live.” The individual benefits should focus around three ideas: cheaper heat (use of less wood), safer home, and ultimately cleaner air. We suggest highlighting the reasons with tangible and credible information and building a case for reducing wood smoke by demonstrating how all levels of the community are going to make a difference — government, environmental groups, wood stove users and more. We also advocate making it clear that it is perfectly acceptable to change from wood to cleaner burning wood appliances or to gas if it is available and wood is scarce.
The Importance of Bylaws
Being a good neighbor is a good aspiration, but because of human nature a program like the stove exchange needs leverage behind it. That’s why it seems that exchanges should be backed with a bylaw or a community regulation to focus on using certified wood burning or clean burning appliances.
It is not a good idea to advocate the curtailment of wood burning, but instead to recommend highlighting and rewarding smart burning. Implementing a bylaw gives teeth to what people need to do and provides context for people to understand what is required of them. When thinking of a bylaw, it is important to provide a rationale, focus on the education aspect, show the long term objective, explain how the bylaw will affect individual households, and explain how households are impacted by wood burning in general. Another important point is to make it illegal to sell an old stove.
Show the Visuals
While wood burning workshops can be time consuming when resources (money and people) are limited, visual opportunities to show old technology versus new technology is critical. We advocate finding visual ways to demonstrate the benefits of new technology, perhaps by using a burn trailer (available through manufacturers, retailers or representatives). These trailers have old and new technologies and are mobile. They can be pulled from location to location with general ease, and provide an educational backdrop. These trailers, and their staff, can turn avid wood burners into converts in short order. If volunteers are available and eager to do workshops, there are examples of successful efforts through the “Burn it Smart” program.
Sample Wood Stove Exchange Program
Exchange Goals
- Goal #1— Residents who heat their homes with wood, or use an uncertified wood burning device, utilize the exchange program to replace their old devices with new technology, whether gas, pellet or certified wood, or other cleaner heating alternatives in order to reduce wood smoke.
- Goal #2 — Residents learn how to burn wood even more effectively in order to reduce the amount of wood smoke in their community.
- Goal #3 — The community rallies around the idea of cleaner air quality and community members influence each other to make a difference with their burning habits.
Timeline
- Two to three years, with the launch to take place in November 2007.
Program Basics
- Kick-off in fall / winter.
- Use a voucher system that includes registering to get involved.
- Hearth products members provide an additional 15% discount.
- Provide a retroactive rebate for turning in old stoves.
- Provide discounts for services such as chimney sweeping, stove service, firewood and firelogs.
Specific Objectives
- Utilize the resources to change out appliances.
- Get people to improve their wood burning habits.
Target Audiences
Messages
- Replace your old stove to save money, protect your home, and protect neighbourhood air quality to make the community a better place to live.
Necessary Actions by Residents
- Replace old wood stoves with new technology stoves.
- Use their wood burning stoves or fireplace inserts correctly.
- Have old appliances destroyed or taken out of service.
Implementation Steps
- Step #5 — Tailor the Tools for the Community
Incentives
We recommend highlighting the available incentives and the upcoming 15% discount while also creating a community reward for encouraging people to reach a goal. Perhaps this could be an event that everyone can participate in, or a town accomplishment or community item that people have been wanting for a while (a new sign, etc.).
Vivid Prompts
Another idea is to create dynamic visuals (graphics in full colour with pictures) that can be positioned within the communities to convey, with passion, the reasons why people need to protect the area. These can include:
- Sign when you enter a town that indicates a "Smart Home Heating Community" or a "Woodsmoke Reduction Community"
- Sign in the town's offices that demonstrates progress toward the goal
- Posters for all businesses
- T-shirts for students and town leadership
- Copy for newsletters and reader boards
Education
We recommend using reminders, or prompts, to ensure that people remember what to do when using their wood stove or to guarantee that people know how to replace their stove through the program.
- Bill stuffers for businesses and utilities (electric)
- Flyer for people to hand out in businesses
- Mailers for retail and hardware store circulars
- Ads in local newspapers or newsletters
- Home energy audits
Leadership
It would valuable to develop leadership messages from the mayor(s) and provide routine updates to the community about the progress of the effort. In these updates, the mayor(s) can refer back to the chart in the town office and remind everyone about why the community is working together to achieve this goal. These messages can be delivered by other town leaders at town meetings or in group settings, like school events.
Home Visits
Another strong tool would be to have the local contact work with town officials to determine the best ways to visit people’s homes to discuss exchanges, clean home heating and perhaps energy efficiency when appropriate. The home visits can be an opportunity to create dialogue about the program and begin to move people to change. Perhaps these can be done in conjunction with a local school science club.
Commitment Cards
Create a commitment card for people in town to sign that encourages them to take clean home heating steps for themselves and their neighbors. Give these cards out in the local wood stove exchange office or at local community meetings. Anyone who signs the commitment card can be eligible to win a monthly prize.
Events / Burn Trailer
Take the burn trailer around to different community events and demonstrate the benefit of burning with a certified wood stove or gas appliance. We don’t recommend creating new events; instead, attach program messaging to an already existing event. The purpose of this trailer movement is to demonstrate good wood burning and provide information to people who have questions. Within these clinics, we advocate providing information about the new technology and its reliability.
Pressure Tools
Create a window cling sticker that people could put on their home or car windows. This sticker would make it easy for people to see who has replaced their stove and would create momentum of peer pressure.
Peer Communications
The local contact can provide cards to the people who have already participated in the program and ask them to spread the word to their neighbors or friends. This will help make these people official stewards of the program. To give people motivation to hand out the cards, we can provide them with fuel rewards (discounts on fuel for every person they refer). Create an action item on the card that encourages a free home visit or another item that is free (firestarters or a tool).
"How-to Clinics"
We recommend creating a series of “how-to” clinics around the towns that are free and provide wood burning training for people with either old stoves or even new Canadian certified appliances. A local hearth retailer can give these presentations and they could be held at routine times at the fire department with the local contact person in attendance (not a one time event). The clinics could be an opportunity for a town meeting as well (provide coffee and cookies), and a place to present information on the program (in a low key manner). A significant incentive that encourages people to turn out is helpful.
News Bureau
Develop a proactive media relations effort where program officials are continually updating the local media with stats and information about air quality and the exchange program. Additionally, officials can provide a meaningful flow of information that highlights the environmental challenges and offers input on ongoing barriers. Finally, pitching unique stories to the media that include people could also be a beneficial approach.
- Step #6 — Hold a Kick-off Event
It is a good idea to rally the community around a specific kick-off event, whether putting on a press conference or making an announcement at a community event. In past events, dirty burning wood stoves have been demolished at steel recycling yards. Other events have showcased new and old technology for the media. No matter the how, the basic reason to do this is to make some noise in the community and create awareness about it through the local media or through local networks.
- Step #7 — Installation Tracking / Evaluation
Finally, we suggest tracking all potential and in-process installations to ensure that everything is working smoothly and the process is meeting the needs of the household. This opportunity could be used to conduct follow-up research.
|
