Sustainable Teeth and Dentists Prices

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Extraction or Extortion

People are Avoiding the Dentist due to the Cost

Recent articles in several newspapers are saying that fewer and fewer people are going regularly to the dentist. Some dentists are finding it tough going with reduced customers.

To be perfectly honest, I have been avoiding the dentists also and for the same reason - they are too expensive in Ireland.

Ireland Spain comparison

In, according to an Internet price guide,  Seville Bami Dental clinic offer fillings from €45, and in Madrid Smilelife Clinic offer fillings from €50.

A Waterford dental clinic, one of the cheaper in Ireland, charges €70 for a simple filling, while a Galway clinic is looking for a whacking great €130 for a filling.

Irish Dental Prices 70% to 160% dearer than Spain

The cheaper Irish price is 70% dearer than the cheapest Spanish price - while the dearest Irish price is over 160% dearer than the dearer Spanish price

How Irish Dentists can bring in customers

Dear Irish dentists please cop yourselves on, by simply charging Spanish prices, you will increase your customer base substantially, and at the same time you will be performing a service to the nation, and earning lots of brownie points too.


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Ireland State of the Nation - Politics and Ethics

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Crisis in Ethics

Crisis in Ireland

No discussion - Just the stark statistical markers:

STRESS and DEPRESSION IN IRISH CHILDREN up in 2 years by 30%

ALCOHOL and SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN IRELAND up by 42%

(increased 42% in 5 years 2005 to 2010)
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE up from 2010 to 2011 by 15%
(11,000 women and children sought refuge in 2011 according to SAFE organisation).

UNEMPLOYMENT has increased by 352%

( from 4.2% in 2007 to 14.8% by October 2012)

UNEMPLOYMENT among 15 to 24y group nationally stands at 39%

UNEMPLOYMENT in the 15 to 25y group in some areas is at 74%

FUEL POVERTY, (the decision to Eat or Heat) estimated to affect 40% of citizens

FOOD POVERTY in 2010 was estimated to be at 10%

RETAIL SALES are down by 5.50%

SUICIDES are up in 2011 from 2010 by 7%

TRUST in the Irish Government in a recent survey fell to a mere 20%

DISSATISFACTION WITH GOVERNMENT stands at 73%
POLITICIANS are the 2nd least trusted profession in Ireland.

(26 Members of the Irish Parliament each claimed €5,000 expenses for August - when there are no sittings of the House)

DISPOSABLE INCOME in lower income groups effectively down by nearly 19%

By contrast:

INCOME FOR TOP IRISH EARNERS is up on average by over 4%

DUBLIN CITY MANAGER salary €190,000

COUNTY MANAGERS salary €153,260

Compare these salaries:

SPANISH PRIME MINISTER'S salary €78,185

GERMAN HOSPITAL CONSULTANTS salary is half of what Ireland pays.

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Evolving a Rocket Stove with Pioneering Spirit

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Pioneering Spirit

and 

Stove Design

Every now and then I get a really interesting letter. This one I particularly like because not only does it come up with some really interesting ideas on stove design, it also demonstrates both a true pioneering spirit, and a generosity of spirit.

The letter and links come from Dale Lerum in the US. Dale has spent a lot of time and effort experimenting with, and evolving a clever design of stove called a "Rocket Stove". What I like, apart from the great bunch of ideas, is Dale's generosity in sharing all he has learned with the world.

The main body of Dale's stove is a scrap propane tank

Dale is maybe considering, in the next year, setting up some classes / workshops where participants can build their own stoves constructed mainly from scrap materials. That type of practical class - with a product at the end of it - would make a cool summer-camp focus.

Below I will reproduce most of Dale's letter along with some stills from his videos showing the stove and some of it's evolving features.

Thank you so much Dale for sharing your ideas and efforts.

Here is Dales letter to me:

I first have to say I found your blog originally on Rob's blog in where he had built a rocket stove heater out of a water heater tank. I adapted his idea and scaled it down for my RV, motor home that me and my wife have been living in now for two and a half years.

Since then I have completed some modifications to change the stove so that I would not have to feed it every thirty minutes, read your article on the pipsqueak.

I am convinced that smaller is better and that there are ways to not only have a small stove, but as well to have very large BTU outputs with less fuel. I already have plans for a stove I plan on building that will have a very small foot print, which will burn wood pellets as well use logs if wanted.

Stove with modification including a front door with window

With my modifications changing the copy of Rob's stove at iwilltry.org, I have increased my burn times from thirty minutes to over an hour with such even heating of the stove and as well great heat out put, and I believe I am using the same amount of wood as in the old stove if not less and getting greater returns.

Me and a few fellas are planning on setting up a blog to converse about our ideas for new designs, my goal is to build the smallest stove I can, which will produce the longest burn times possible and put out the greatest BTUs possible.

I have enjoyed your blogs, I am in full agreement with you on your position as to why you started you blog, here in America and really world wide what we have seen is a move by man in convincing the family unit to fragment, move away from self sustainability and into the factories and ship yards to indenture themselves into a form of slavery which wears a mask of improving quality of life for all. There has been improvement, yet in this we have enslaved ourselves. To what? A system - Economic Dependence - Electrical Dependence - Water, Sewer - food, etc.

Below are two links, one for my early copy of Robs stove, the second link is where I have made some modifications and am amazed at the BTUs I am now getting with very even over all heat transfer, compared to last year.

I like you feel greed has driven society on all levels, and in part we have all been taught from child hood this is the way it is and how things are.

We can keep this from propagating itself through innovation of devices and ideas that add quality of life for all. With that said as continue in my research and designs and testing I have decided to share them for all to use freely.

I like what you said about being able to produce an efficient small wood stove and keep it priced fairly so most can afford it. I as well want to keep this in mind in my research and development, thanks so much for your hard work and sharing what you find.

Sincerely Dale,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJOVG71YiJI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzc9rUq3Flc&feature=plcp

Sustainable Energy or Sustainable Life

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Sustainable Energy

or

Sustainable Life

The question is posed to me on a regular basis; "Why, on a Sustainability Blog, do I support the use of coal?"

The analogy comes to mind of a surgical patient faced with the stark choice of either losing a leg or losing their life. In other words, reduce carbon emissions - or stay warm and stay alive. What are we aiming to be sustainable about? Those at the bottom of the food chain will have a very different take on energy policy.

I Support - Beating Fuel Poverty

My support is for the thousands of people who cannot afford proper heating for their homes. My search is for the cheapest and best possible value method of providing heat. I do not support the use of coal as such - only that it is the cheapest option. If people are going to go cold this winter, I would prefer coal heat to no heat.

Ireland is in a deep depression, many people are struggling to make ends meet, some near suicidal in their desperation, this is not the time for them to engage in the luxury of sustainable energy - it is a time for sustainable life.

Heat is a Matter of Life and Death

Studies clearly show an increase in what is termed "Winter Excess Deaths". In Ireland that figure stands at 650. In a particularly severe winter, the figure will increase. I honestly believe that the Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland should be focusing most of their energy at Fuel Poverty.

Fuel poverty stands at an estimated 40%. This is an unacceptable, immoral, unethical, unholy, and toxic situation.

The situations is all the more of an insult to those affected because of the grossly immoral imbalances at the other end of the income scale. For instance, Ireland pays it's top earners twice the average, and county managers get twice the salary of the Spanish Prime Minister, and it goes on - and on - and on - and on - and on - and on. We lack clear moral leadership from most of our leaders, we lack any discernible ethics in business, banking, law, and the public sector.

Crisis in Ethics

Irish President Michael D. Higgins

It is interesting that our President, Michael D. Higgins has chosen "Crisis in Ethics" as his presidential theme for next year.

In a recent interview he poses the following questions; "... how are you going to lodge ethics in society?"  " ... can economics be made ethical?"  and stated that; " ... there is a serious bureaucratic problem in this country." and that he finds it shocking how; " authoritarianism emerges"

I hope the country will listen to President Higgins. 

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Smokeless Coal Prices Ireland

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Really Good Prices

Smokeless Coals

Irish Midlands

Good news for solid fuel stove users in the Irish midlands. Farrells Fuels, Lanesboro, Co. Longford have very good prices on some of the best smokeless coals:

Calco Super Mix 40kg €15.00; (and I guess €340 a tonne)

Arigna Cosy Glo 40kg €15.00; €340.00 per tonne

Arigna Eco Brite 40kg €15.50; 20kg €8.00; €350.00 per tonne

A Metric Tonne is 1000Kgs or 25 by 40Kg Bags. That means, if you buy a tonne, Cozy Glo is coming to you at only €13.60 a bag - believe me, that's a good price.

They offer free delivery, and say distance is no problem, I don't think that means Waterford!!! Contact them at (086) 8745180 Landline: (043) 33 21998

Note:

As of 2015 there have been a number of complaints that Calco Mix, in some cases, contains a high level of stones. Stones can explode in a fire causing damage and even injury. You can access a posting with more information by clicking on this paragraph.

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Cheap Multi-fuel Stoves Ireland

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Cheap Multi-Fuel

Cast Iron Stoves

SunRain Multi-fuel Stove 6Kw €225 plus €25 delivery

I have had a lot of hits, feedback, and enquiries regarding low priced stoves, their quality, value etc. One business that offers solid fuel stoves at very cheap prices is Stove Deals, Blanchardstown, Dublin. They operate mainly through DoneDeal Internet sales site, and do not have a retail premises.

Stove Deals offer a 6Kw stove for just €225. It is made, like nearly all cast iron stoves sold in Ireland, by a Chinese Factory. The Chinese brand is called SunRain Foundry.

The exact same stove is sold by B&Q only in the UK for Stg£239 or roughly €300.

There are some mixed reviews on this stove but the majority are quite positive. I have written before about buying imported stoves. My advice is the same now. Cheaper prices usually mean that there have to be some saving by the manufacturer, so don't expect exactly the same quality as items costing more than twice the price. If you are ordering one of these stoves, buy a spare set of grates and baffles, costing about €55, at the time of purchase - make the purchase conditional on getting the spares. Then look at the results in this way; if the stove gives you 5years good wear it will have cost a mere €45 per year. Chances are, if you use it carefully, you will get 10 or more years out of it.

I contacted Stove Deals and asked some direct questions about the stoves, spare parts, delivery, guarantee etc. Here are the questions and the answers, from Dave at Stove Deals, in bold italics

(1) Do you have any sort of show room? Address?
 No showroom, we use a freight company in Blanchardstown for distribution, but no shop at all.

(2) Collection point for cash sales?
Collection can be arranged by appointment Mon-Fri from the warehouse and they accept cash, customers should do their research first, then give me a ring when they know what they want!

(3) What type of guarantee do you offer?
All stoves are 1 year guarantee and buying off us is the same as any other shop, your consumer rights are the same.

(4) Do you have spares in stock in Ireland for the stoves you sell. Grates / Baffles / Glass / hinges / handles etc?
I try to carry the main spares in stock in Ireland, but we do run out. Best time to order spares is around the end of the season, March - April, so if they are not in stock we can have them before the next winter.

(5) You advertise flue pipe and bends on DoneDeal what type of material - enameled steel?
The flue pipes are mild steel, painted black

(6) You have been selling stoves a few years now - what is the failure rate generally/? Baffles? Grates? Any body failures?
I've had 1 complaint about poor assembly, as in bolts not fully tightened and a door loose, other than that I would say about on average 1 stove per container (200 per container) arrives damaged at the customer, either the glass damaged or maybe somebody dropped the pallet. Obviously these are replaced, and there are always people looking for cheap damaged stoves for their shed.

(7) Price of a grate for 4Kw stove - and 7Kw stove?
4kW grate €25 - 7kW €30.

(8) Price of baffles for the above?
Baffles for stoves €25-€35 depending on size.

Glass €20-€50 depending on sizes, really only the insert stoves have a €50 piece of glass. Biggest problem at this time of year is keeping stoves in stock! Thanks, Dave.

Stove Deals 6Kw stove, a very popular size, is priced at just €225 plus €25 delivery nationwide.

http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/heating/3620184

B&Q offer the same stove at Stg£239 or roughly in Euro €300

http://www.diy.com/nav/rooms/fires-surrounds/stoves-accessories/stoves/-specificproducttype-solid_fuel_stoves/Cast-Iron-Solid-Fuel-Stove-10146489



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Cheaper Electricity, Oil, Gas with Collective Switching A Job for the Credit Unions?

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The Big Switch - a painting by Shameus O'Conman

Cheaper Electricity, Oil, 
Gas and Coal

with Collective Switching

I loved the black comedy "In Bruges", so when the town was mentioned on BBC News, my ears pricked up. People in Bruges are saving massive amounts on their energy bills, in some cases multiples of their bills. How are they doing this?

The citizens of Bruges have clubbed together in their thousands and collectively made deals with the cheapest providers, and then they, en masse, switched to those energy providers. The saving in some cases meant cutting bills by more than half.

Credit Unions

I see a role here for the Credit Unions. Credit Unions were founded to help the small guy, and in Ireland at least, they have been a most valuable asset to the lower earners, myself included.

If all of the Credit Unions collectively were to initiate schemes for the mass negotiation and purchase of Oil, Gas, Electricity, Coal etc. they could, in one fell swoop, lessen, if not eliminate, the disgraceful 40% Fuel Poverty figure in Ireland.

Time for Collective Action?

I would really like to hear of any such moves afoot, or of any opinions on this matter. It is time for the little guy to take back some control. If consumers acted collectively and cooperatively in their millions, the face of commerce could be changed for the better. Collective action, the "power of we" the recent Blog Action Day brought that subject into slightly better focus. I was motivated to put my spoke in for that event:

http://wood-pellet-ireland.blogspot.ie/2012/10/the-power-of-we-blog-action-day-post.html





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A General Review of Multi-Fuel Stoves Part3

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A Review of 

Multi-Fuel Stove Features 

Part 3

Some General Design Features

What to Avoid

Take a good look at the stove in the above photo of a double door stove. It has several design features that I would avoid at all costs. Why would I avoid this type of design?  There are two main reasons, actually there are more than two reasons, but for clarity in this post, I will stick to just the two.

1. Double doors: There is no practical need for two doors in the average size of stove. The only excuse for having double doors is in a very large stove perhaps upwards of 12Kw. Two doors are simply a style element, and one which generally causes problems. A single door will give the same access without the complications.

Two doors means a more complex closure with nearly half as much again of seal needed and therefore more places for air to leak in, and a lot more complicated when replacing the seals.

Air leaking into a stove spells trouble and causes problems. It can create hot spots of burn - like a little blow lamp - think of blowing to start a fire. A thin stream of air will cause fuel where it strikes to burn brighter. Air leaking in any crack in the seal between the two doors will create a hot spot of burn and this can lead to damage of the grate or retainer.

Air leaks also means that it is more difficult to control the general burn rate of the fire, this leads to inefficiency or overheating.

The seal between the two doors is right slap in the middle of the fire - the hottest place - it is going to be difficult to maintain a good seal at the best of times - but the roasting heat on the doors is going to cause some expansion of the metal and some warping.

Many double door stoves have only one latching point, in that case, it is next to impossible for there to be a good air seal.

Double doors generally means double air controls - more difficult to control the burn rate - quite simply put - a pain in the ass!!

In the slightly better design of double door stoves above, there is a top and bottom latching system. There still exists in this stove the second major design problem.

2. Sliding air controls: It is next to impossible to get any sort of fine adjustment of the air supply with sliding air controls. The rotary type of air control, if they are of reasonable quality, can give you an almost infinite degree of control of the air supply to the point of cut off. You will never get this with sliding controls.

Additionally, sliding air controls are usually spring loaded and slide areas can become clogged or corroded this leads to the tendency to stick making them very annoying to adjust.

Recession Statistics in Ireland

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Food Poverty 

in Ireland

The Irish Department of Social Protection recently commissioned a study on “Food Poverty”. This study has, for the first time, established clear and simple criteria whereby to measure this growing problem in Ireland.

The measurement uses "deprivation markers" to define food poverty:

1. Households that cannot afford a meal with meat, or vegetarian equivalent, every second day.

2. Households that cannot afford a weekly roast dinner.

3. Household that have missed a meal over a two-week period, due to a lack of money.

4. Inability to have family or friends for a meal or drink once a month

10% of people questioned for a CSO (Central Statistics Office) Survey in 2010 on Income and Living Conditions, experienced at least two of these conditions. Food poverty in Ireland will now be measured every year from here forward.

The study only looked at food poverty from 2004 to 2010. Figures have not yet been produced for 2011 and 2012.

Somehow, and it is just my wild guess that, the figure, like the Fuel Poverty figure, will have increased. And just to depress you some more, here is my collection of variously published indicators that clearly show the trend in Ireland:


The Imbalance Indicators (updated) :

STRESS and DEPRESSION IN IRISH CHILDREN up in 2 years by 30%

ALCOHOL and SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN IRELAND up by 42%

(increased 42% in 5 years 2005 to 2010)
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE up from 2010 to 2011 by 15%
(11,000 women and children sought refuge in 2011 according to SAFE organisation).

UNEMPLOYMENT has increased by 352%

( from 4.2% in 2007 to 14.8% by October 2012)

UNEMPLOYMENT among 15 to 24y group nationally stands at 39%

UNEMPLOYMENT in the 15 to 25y group in some areas is at 74%
HOUSE BUILDING homes built 8,488 has dropped over 90% since 2006 at 93,000, and is 20% down in one year.
BUSINESS INSOLVENCIES Up 13.30% from 2010.
(1,684 companies failed in 2012 alone)

FUEL POVERTY, (the decision to Eat or Heat) estimated to affect 40% of citizens

FOOD POVERTY in 2010 was estimated to be at 10%
FOOD PRICES have risen by an average of 12% in the last two years.
HOMELESSNESS up by as much as 45% in Dublin.

(from 70 in 2010 to a current estimate of as much as 101)

RETAIL SALES are down by 5.50%

SUICIDES are up in 2011 from 2010 by 7%

TRUST in the Irish Government in a recent survey fell to a mere 20%

DISSATISFACTION WITH GOVERNMENT stands at 73%
POLITICIANS are the 2nd least trusted profession in Ireland.
(Only 14% of Irish people trust politicians - I wonder why?  How about 26 TDs, members of the Irish Parliament, each claimed €5,000 expenses for August - when there are no sittings of the House)

DISPOSABLE INCOME SURVEY: 1.60 million Irish have €50 or less left each month after paying for essentials. In other words, roughly 36% of the Irish population have disposable income of €600 or less per year.
DISPOSABLE INCOME in lower income groups effectively down by nearly 19%

By contrast the imbalance in incomes:

INCOME FOR TOP IRISH EARNERS is up on average by over 4%

DUBLIN CITY MANAGER salary €190,000

COUNTY MANAGERS salary €153,260

Compare salaries:

SPANISH PRIME MINISTER'S salary €78,185

Ireland

is

Seriously

Imbalanced

Ireland is a seriously imbalanced society, fiscally, socially, politically, morally, ethically, and psychologically. Traditional religious and spiritual values have all but vanished, and there is a major lack of ethical balance and moral leadership.

Harping-on while Ireland Burns - - A Painting by ShameUs O'ConMan

We, Ireland a country beggared and in hock to the IMF, pay our county managers twice the salary of the Spanish Prime Minister, even as the population at large suffers some shocking imbalances and deprivations. Rome, like an apple, rotted from the core because of it's moral degeneration. From the perspective of many Irish citizens, there are many parallels to be found between the fall of Rome and present day Ireland.

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Calco Smokeless Coal Mix

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Calco

Smokeless Coal Mixture
SEE ADDED NOTE ON CALCO

On the left is a Lignite or brown coal nugget, On the right a piece of Petro-coke

I have had a good many people enquiring about Calco for two essential reasons, (1) because it is such an efficient, reasonably priced, low ash, high heat output fuel, and (2) because some people are worried about it possibly causing damage to stoves.

Calco mix has esentially two main components, as shown in the above photograph, it is a mixture of petro-coke and lignite nuggets. I estimate the mix to be very roughly 3/4 petro-coke to 1/4 lignite nuggets. It is one of the most efficient smokeless coals available, and if it is used correctly, it represents superb value for money.

I have been using Calco mix for two years, and I have seen no perceivable damage in that time. There is a caveat though, Calco is very capable of doing damage if used incorrectly.

Foolish Users Wreck Stoves!

If you were to fill a stove with Calco and just let it rip, it will redden the stove - and will undoubtedly damage or burn the metal of the stove. This is because petro-coke is a coke - coke is used in smelters to melt iron, cokes are capable of achieving very high temperatures.  However, control the air intake, and thereby the temperature achieved, and you will not have problems.

The purpose of the lignite in the mix is to give an amount of ash, up to 19% in some lignite, and a percentage of a fuel with much lower temperature burning characteristics. This modifies the overall burning rate and the ash helps protect the grates and baffles of a stove.

Some stove manufacturers will not guarantee their appliances if Calco is being used, and they are probably justified, because many people have not got a clue about how to properly control the burn in a solid fuel stove.

Calco Great Value BUT use it correctly

I have just checked prices for this winter with our local dealer in County Kerry, Econ Fuels, Monavalley, Tralee tel: 066-4011099. Calco Petrocoke mix is €1 dearer this winter at €15.99 per 40Kg bag, or 3 bags for €45. They also have Lignite Nuggets at €14.99 per 40Kg bag or 3 bags for €43 if you prefer to play safe with your stove. The guys at Econ Fuels say the price increase is due to increased transport costs, which in turn are due to massive price increases and Ireland's extra taxation on motor fuels.

ADDENDUM (I am also posting this addendum as a new post 04 December 2015)

It has come to my attention from several regular users of Calco Mix that there has been high level of stones and pieces of concrete etc. found in Calco. One lady told me that an exploding stone had broken the glass of her stove.

I my self have found a collection of extraneous bits and pieces in my Calco-Mix of late. Some are harmless bits of wood etc. others are less benign. Either the agents or those making the mix are quite careless, or could it ever be possible that this EXTRA material is being added intentionally for some reason unknown??

Above is a photo I have just taken showing a collection of rocks and concrete I found in my Calco. The lignite briquette and the 1 Euro coin and there just to show scale. The two brownish stones are that colour because they came out of the fire. Luckily I had discovered the rest before placing them in the fire. That collection represents the use of perhaps 2 to 3 bags of Calco - that is a fair bit of extraneous matter. Apart from devaluing the Calco, there is always the dangers presented by an exploding stone in the fire.

I will reserve final judgement but suffice it to say I have lost some of my enthusiasm for Calco-Mix.



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