A camper might have a funny reaction to the news coming out of Europe these days. The commissars are telling people to take fewer or shorter showers. My reaction: what is so bad about that? Similarly with other diktats, such as lowering their thermostats next winter.
But it does make you wonder whether people in Europe will completely lose interest in camping. After all, their normal living in a 'flat' or house will already be too much like camping.
I expect to be indifferent to the discomfort that Europeans suffer this winter. People get the government they deserve.
Greens are clever politicians. If they imposed their Great Reset on the peasants of Europe as the Green agenda, there could be a severe pushback that might injure the Green religion.
By disguising the Great Reset as wartime austerity necessary in pursuing a Noble Cause, an escape valve is created. When the pushback starts getting severe, European leaders will be able to back off on the sanctions and the Ukrainian war, and say:
1. Our generals were failures.
2. Russia was just too big strong for the Ukrainians.
3. The Ukrainian politicians are so corrupt that the weapons we sent were sold on the black market.
4. We followed bad economic advice in imposing sanctions on Russian. We need better economists.
5. But our cause was still the noble one. Better luck next time.
None of this blame game will injure the Green religion. After a few years of rest, the Greens can start pushing again, in some new direction.
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They say that the price of firewood is skyrocketing in Europe. I am surprised that they are even allowed to burn wood in stoves or fireplaces.
But what a great fantasy this makes for someone who camps in forests. Can you imagine how much firewood the USA and Canada could send the frozen peasants of Europe? Try to imagine a number -- it boggles the mind.
I am amazed with the puniness of firewood collection in national forests. There is probably a complex process of getting a firewood-permit and all sorts of arbitrary rules to follow. Maybe firewood 'hunters' are forced to use a lottery system like elk hunters?
Seriously I am curious about the economics of firewood collection.
Comments
The link to the blog posting shown below is all about firewood collecting for personal use. A LOT of rules and regulations. All different for each different region. The commercial cutting of firewood is most likely even more restricted and convoluted.
https://downtoearthhomesteaders.com/how-to-legally-cut-firewood-in-a-national-forest/
This link will take you to a site that gives the BTUs for some firewoods. https://worldforestindustries.com/forest-biofuel/firewood/firewood-btu-ratings/
Whereas this link gives the BTUs for various fuels. https://www.exothink.com/Pages/btu.html
My quick and dirty computation says that it would take about 300 gallons of propane to provide the same BTUs as a cord of 'average' firewood. It would require about 24,300 cu ft of natural gas.
With the price of propane today you would be $ ahead using firewood; especially when you cut it yourself. Even if you bought it; firewood would probably be cheaper per BTU.
Natural gas would most likely be cheaper unless you happen to be living in Europe.