Day by day, the economic crisis intensifies for the Lebanese citizen. Due to a lack of money and an abundance of obligations, many Lebanese have begun cooking their meals on wood stoves instead of gas ovens due to the high price of gas canisters. This trend is not limited to rural areas but has also become noticeable in several crowded neighborhoods for food preparation and heating water for cleanliness and bathing, taking Lebanon back several decades, according to a report by the American site Al-Monitor.
As demand increases, the cost of wood sold in markets has risen, prompting people to cut down trees in forests and near their homes. Agricultural experts have warned that Lebanon's forests are in danger and that the situation is getting out of control as cedar, oak, lemon, and walnut trees continue to disappear in anticipation of the upcoming winter.
Um Rami Farhat lives in a remote village in the Bekaa Valley and is a mother of six. She mentioned that she replaced her gas stove with a wood-burning stove to reduce expenses. For citizen Karim Al-Din, the owner of a gas cylinder warehouse, he stated that gas cylinder sales have dropped by 60% in the areas he distributes to, compared to the same time last year. Recently, the price of a gas canister has reached 400,000 Lebanese pounds, equivalent to 13 dollars, in the black market, which is more than half of the minimum monthly wage.
