[nkurz]

Let me start by saying I really appreciate your comments on this site. I upvote a lot of your comments on a lot of threads, and appreciate seeing what you have to say. But although wood heat is a complex issue, I don't think you are correct here. Having looked at it pretty closely, I think modern wood heat is good solution for homes in the rural Northeastern US.

Yes, air pollution is a big problem. Modern catalytic stoves are much lower on particulate emissions than older models. The one we have (https://www.woodstove.com/index.php/progress-hybrid) has about 1/10 the emissions of older models. Efficiency is also about 30% higher, which reduces CO2 emissions. With a reasonably designed system (draft that draws in outside air) indoor pollution isn't particularly an issue. Locally harvested wood is quite sustainable, and very close to CO2 neutral. We manage our forest land, and cutting wood is an essential part of this management. And mentally, it really is pleasing to feel in control of the whole process --- cut trees, burn trees, grow more trees.

Since we're not on natural gas, the best alternative at this point would probably be a solar system and an electric heat pump. As we get older, and are are less able to harvest our own wood, we'll look into it more seriously. I think for right now, though, wood burning makes good sense for us both financially and ecologically. That said, I would be interested to see any sources you might have that compare modern efficient wood stoves with the alternatives.