“I see them feeling cold, so I go out to buy kerosene at any price,” Muslih, a 49-year-old city employee told IPS. “My salary cannot pay for kerosene. So I use my savings, or try to avoid other necessities.” This is a problem in home after home in this city of about 300,000 located 40 km north of Baghdad, in the violence and unemployment ridden Diyala province. “When we can, we burn wood to keep our houses warm,” says city resident Abu Nasem. It is hardly the best choice. “Since there are no fireplaces in our houses, wood fire can be harmful and dangerous.”

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