Wood burning fireplaces are a great choice if you are an environmentally healthy and watchful consumer, and still want to have a fireplace in your home. But, if you live in a big city, or an urban location, many of your neighbors may not be as environmentally “green,” as you are, and may in fact complain about the use of wood burning fireplaces. Although they are much healthier and cause no noxious gases to the environment, they can emit a stronger odor, get things dirtier than a traditional electric fireplace, and many people around you may not want all the smoke they emit coming into their homes.

So, although urban areas should not completely ban the use of a wood burning fireplace, they should put specific restrictions on the use: when they can be used, how often, imposing a certain tax, or requiring payments for property damage to other homes, etc. The use of wood burning fireplaces can help you save the environment, but it can be a nuisance to your neighbors in overly populated cities, or places where everything is industrialized, and your neighbors are not as “green,” and environmentally as friendly as you might be. So, there should be restrictions on use.