Michael Pettibone wants to turn skeptics into believers.

How?

By producing a cleaner wood-burning product. To that end, Pettibone started Sierra Tahoe Wood Products in January to sell pellet fuel.

The pellet logs, called Firelogs, produce 50 percent fewer emissions than firewood, which is lower than the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency's particulate emissions standards in the basin, Pettibone said.

Plus, you don't have to use as many logs to heat your house, Pettibone said. Approximately 393 Firelogs equal three cords of pine firewood.

"You don't have to have a carport full of wood," Pettibone said.

Firelogs are made from sawdust, so they are 100 percent wood, Pettibone said. The sawdust is compressed into logs, so they are denser than firewood, which translates to longer burning times. They also produce less ash and have no bark, so bugs won't hang out in the logs.

"And women love it because of the neatness," Pettibone said.

Pellet logs were introduced in the 1940s when the Prestolog came out. With the advancement of technology, these Firelogs don't have a wax base or other additives like other pellet logs do.

Firelogs have 4 percent moisture content compared with regular logs, which have 25 percent moisture content. The lower moisture creates less creosote buildup, something that adds to the risk of chimney fires, Pettibone said.

Pettibone also sells a a campfire-in-a-box product called Quickfire. Pieces of Firelogs in the box can be lit to make a portable campfire, Pettibone said. Quickfire boxes may be used only at designated campfire sites.

Firelogs and Quickfires are available at Longs Drugs, Lira's Supermarket, Scotty's Hardware and other convenience stores around town.

The Sierra Tahoe Wood Products warehouse is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday in the summer, but people should call ahead in case Pettibone is out making deliveries. The warehouse is at 2140 Highway 50, between Lake Tahoe Airport and Lake Tahoe Golf Course. For more information, call (530) 541-3473.

Boating book covers all of Lake Tahoe

After researching his subject for for three years, Roger Huff compiled Lake Tahoe boating information and compiled it for a book called "Captain Bucko's Onboard Cruising Guide to Lake Tahoe."

Huff said the book covers the history of boating, Global Positioning Systems, local legends and places to dine, and more.

The book is designed to be used by boaters on the water. The pictures are taken from the boater's perspective, so landmarks are easy to identify, Huff said.

"It's laser-printed, so it doesn't melt when you get it wet," Huff added.

Huff spent 21 years as a Navy oceanographer, and he has been boating on Lake Tahoe since 1976.

For more information, e-mail WriteAweigh@aol.com.

New director for South Tahoe chamber

David Kelly became the new executive director of the South Tahoe Chamber of Commerce on July 7.

In the past, Kelly has helped increase chamber membership to more than 150 and helped establish a permanent office that's open five days a week.

The chamber office is at 2572 Lake Tahoe Blvd., Suite 3, between Reno Avenue and Sierra Boulevard. For more information, visit www.southtahoechamber.com or call (530) 542-5060.

- Have information on your business that you'd like to share? Contact reporter Sara Thompson at (530) 542-8009 or sthompson@tahoedailytribune.com.