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Slightly OT: Spare the Air

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dmourati
dmourati Posts: 1,268
edited November 2018 in EggHead Forum
We've got two horrific wildfires going on in California right now. I happened to look at: http://www.sparetheair.org/. There are some restrictions on wood burning.  I also found this after some digging:

Can I barbeque during a Winter Spare the Air Alert?

Barbequing during a Winter Spare the Air Alert is not prohibited. However, the Air District asks all Bay Area residents to voluntarily reduce air pollution by making clean air choices every day. Reducing or postponing activities that pollute, including barbequing, when the air quality is forecast to be unhealthy, is one way to help reduce fine particulate emissions and improve air quality.


Here's a look to put this in perspective.




Question: am I okay to proceed with a plan to Egg tomorrow? Follow up: would you?


Thanks.

Mountain View, CA
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  • Rascal
    Rascal Posts: 3,923
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    So, are cigarettes, cigars, pipes and "stink-weed" banned as well?
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  • HeavyG
    HeavyG Posts: 10,349
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    If I was planning the type of cook that billows out lots of visible smoke I'd probably reconsider. If I was doing a higher heat cook where there wouldn't be much smoke I'd probably go ahead.

    If my neighbors were already having difficulties breathing the air drifting down from the fires I'd probably skip using a charcoal grill completely until the situation changes.
    “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” ― Philip K. Diçk




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  • buzd504
    buzd504 Posts: 3,824
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    Rascal said:
    So, are cigarettes, cigars, pipes and "stink-weed" banned as well?
    What is this "stink-weed" to which you are referring?
    NOLA
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  • Rascal
    Rascal Posts: 3,923
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    buzd504 said:
    Rascal said:
    So, are cigarettes, cigars, pipes and "stink-weed" banned as well?
    What is this "stink-weed" to which you are referring?
    buzd504 said:
    Rascal said:
    So, are cigarettes, cigars, pipes and "stink-weed" banned as well?
    What is this "stink-weed" to which you are referring?
    Just ask Ovomit!!~~
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  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,976
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    Rascal said:
    buzd504 said:
    Rascal said:
    So, are cigarettes, cigars, pipes and "stink-weed" banned as well?
    What is this "stink-weed" to which you are referring?
    buzd504 said:
    Rascal said:
    So, are cigarettes, cigars, pipes and "stink-weed" banned as well?
    What is this "stink-weed" to which you are referring?
    Just ask Ovomit!!~~
    What?
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
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  • Gulfcoastguy
    Gulfcoastguy Posts: 6,303
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    Just using lump would probably not be a problem but I would hold off on using chips to smoke.
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  • KiterTodd
    KiterTodd Posts: 2,466
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    Depends how close you are to it, but yeah, light it early to bring it to temp and do a non-offensive cook. After the initial lighting most of our cooks don’t put out that much smoke anyway. More of a delightful meat vapor. 🙂

    Guess just use your best judgement. Depends how close you are to neighbors. For just an air quality concern you are way WAY less of an impact than a dump truck going up a hill billowing our black clouds of diesel exhaust. $.02
    LBGE/Maryland
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  • Fred19Flintstone
    Fred19Flintstone Posts: 8,168
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    So let me get this straight.  You're asking a bunch of people on a BBQ forum whether you should BBQ or not?  Hmmmmmm... That's a toughie.
    Flint, Michigan
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  • Jeremiah
    Jeremiah Posts: 6,412
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    Now I fully admit I'm not an intelligent person, but is backyard BBQing really a major air pollutant?
    Slumming it in Aiken, SC. 
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,759
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    Jeremiah said:
    Now I fully admit I'm not an intelligent person, but is backyard BBQing really a major air pollutant?
    theres lots of carbon footprints from manufacturing an egg to distribution, to grilling, to lump manufacturing to burning your steak to consider =) way more than cooking over a camp fire, well maybe not THE camp fire
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
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    Jeremiah said:
    Now I fully admit I'm not an intelligent person, but is backyard BBQing really a major air pollutant?
    Depends. Are you using match light briquettes? I can smell those from a block away, just like an old diesel engine. Given an Egg;s longevity, it would be interesting to find out how much the kiln's put out firing one, compared to the furnaces making metal kettles replaced every few years.

    But just now, in certain areas of CA, it would be a nice civic minded gesture to not indulge. My SIL, afflicted w. cancer, says she is staying inside because of the Woolsey fire 70 mi. north. Her daughter will be visiting w. us in a few days, and she said when she went S.F. on Sat. to get to her flight, the sky was black at 3 pm.
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  • dmourati
    dmourati Posts: 1,268
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    Fred19Flintstone said:
    So let me get this straight.  You're asking a bunch of people on a BBQ forum whether you should BBQ or not?  Hmmmmmm... That's a toughie.
    That was the point. If I could get a strong signal from a group of BBQ forum folks that lighting up the Egg was not okay I'd know not to proceed. In the end, I did light the Egg for a few hours. I concluded that on balance, I'd be okay and didn't get any negative feedback from the neighbors.

    The poor air quality did negatively affect me over the weekend. I had a headache, irritated eyes, and worse of all chest/lung pain for most of Sat/Sun. This all resulted from a 30 minute leisurely walk on Saturday and a shorter one on Sunday.

    The air quality was also a frequent topic of conversation at work today.
    Mountain View, CA
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  • dmchicago
    dmchicago Posts: 4,516
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    dmourati said:
    Fred19Flintstone said:
    So let me get this straight.  You're asking a bunch of people on a BBQ forum whether you should BBQ or not?  Hmmmmmm... That's a toughie.
    That was the point. If I could get a strong signal from a group of BBQ forum folks that lighting up the Egg was not okay I'd know not to proceed. In the end, I did light the Egg for a few hours. I concluded that on balance, I'd be okay and didn't get any negative feedback from the neighbors.

    The poor air quality did negatively affect me over the weekend. I had a headache, irritated eyes, and worse of all chest/lung pain for most of Sat/Sun. This all resulted from a 30 minute leisurely walk on Saturday and a shorter one on Sunday.

    The air quality was also a frequent topic of conversation at work today.
    You should shoot for a little less douchy...like the Costco guy.
    Philly - Kansas City - Houston - Cincinnati - Dallas - Houston - Memphis - Austin - Chicago - Austin

    Large BGE. OONI 16, TOTO Washlet S550e (Now with enhanced Motherly Hugs!)

    "If I wanted my balls washed, I'd go to the golf course!"
    Dennis - Austin,TX
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  • GATraveller
    GATraveller Posts: 8,207
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    dmchicago said:
    dmourati said:
    Fred19Flintstone said:
    So let me get this straight.  You're asking a bunch of people on a BBQ forum whether you should BBQ or not?  Hmmmmmm... That's a toughie.
    That was the point. If I could get a strong signal from a group of BBQ forum folks that lighting up the Egg was not okay I'd know not to proceed. In the end, I did light the Egg for a few hours. I concluded that on balance, I'd be okay and didn't get any negative feedback from the neighbors.

    The poor air quality did negatively affect me over the weekend. I had a headache, irritated eyes, and worse of all chest/lung pain for most of Sat/Sun. This all resulted from a 30 minute leisurely walk on Saturday and a shorter one on Sunday.

    The air quality was also a frequent topic of conversation at work today.
    You should shoot for a little less douchy...like the Costco guy.
    You're always such a bright ray of sunshine.

    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community [...] but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots."
                                                                                  -Umberto Eco

    2 Large
    Peachtree Corners, GA
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,759
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    i probably would not be outside with the grill if i was experiencing chest and lung pain from breathing the air =)
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 7,657
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    SV and lay it out on your deck for the low and slow.
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


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  • dmourati
    dmourati Posts: 1,268
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    The air quality in CA is getting worse. I thought Saturday/Sunday would be the worst of it.


    Mountain View, CA
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