Climate action in the kitchen

Let's clear the air: Taking gas out of your home fights climate change too!

Did you know the gas we pipe into our homes is often far from harmless? “Natural" gas--now increasingly referred to as "fossil" gas--is mostly made up of methane, a major contributor to climate change. Burning it creates carbon pollution, the main reason why our planet is warming. But the danger doesn't stop there.

When gas leaks occur—and a study last year found that most gas stoves leak, even when they are turned off--an array of other nasty pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, benzene, formaldehyde, and particulate matter also escape. These substances have been linked to a variety of health problems, including asthma, cancer, and heart disease.

Given these risks, it's no surprise that more and more people are questioning the wisdom of running gas lines into our homes to power gas stoves and other appliances. As always, though, there is hope: people are taking action and there’s plenty you can do.

GOOD NEWS

The state of New York and a few dozen California municipalities — including Palo Alto, Berkeley, Los Angeles, and San Francisco — have banned the installation of gas stoves and furnaces in new buildings after a series of research studies revealed the harmful health effects of gas-burning appliances. 

The new state law, the first of its kind in the country, requires all-electric heating and cooking in new buildings shorter than seven stories by 2026, and for taller buildings by 2029. The regulations in New York and California face legal challenges from the fossil fuel industry, but they represent an important first step toward protecting the public from the consequences of indoor cooking on gas appliances.

NOT-SO-GOOD NEWS

The indoor pollution caused by gas stoves is bad, to say the least. Kids who live in homes with gas stoves are six times more likely to develop asthma, and a recent study suggests that gas stoves contribute to about 13 percent of childhood asthma cases in the U.S., equivalent to the risk of developing asthma due to exposure from secondhand smoke. And exposure to the hazardous chemicals like nitrous oxides and formaldehyde released by burning natural gas exacerbates respiratory and cardiovascular health problems for everyone, including adults.

When you are cooking with gas, invisible pollutants can easily reach levels that would be illegal outdoors. Canadian chemists who took air readings in homes using gas stoves found shockingly high amounts of nitrous oxide in the air after cooking — and that the toxins lingered for several hours afterward at levels that exceeded Health Canada guidelines for a one-hour exposure. Stanford researchers found that the levels of benzene released by cooking on a gas stove can reach higher than those found in secondhand tobacco smoke, and like smoke, the benzene pollution can spread throughout the home.

And what about the methane constantly emitted by gas stoves, whether they are in use or not? Another Stanford study found that those leaks — from 40 million gas stoves across the U.S. — have a climate impact comparable to adding half a million gas-powered cars to the roads.

I love to cook, and a gas stove used to be my favourite appliance. It’s hard to beat the even temperature control they provide. But the evidence is in, and you can’t argue with the effect they have on our health and our planet. It’s just not worth it anymore.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

A few years ago, we moved from a home with a gas stove to one with an induction stove. At first, I wanted to take my gas stove with me. But the research about gas stoves that was just starting to come out at that time convinced me to give induction a try. It surprised me how quickly and evenly it heats up, and it gives me more counter space in the kitchen; I’d never go back to gas now!

A new stove can be expensive and not always an option for everyone, especially if you are a renter. So, what are some other ways you can limit the health risks presented by cooking with gas?

Always run your stove hood when you use it, and double-check that your hood ventilates to the outdoors, rather than just recirculating the air within your home. Use HEPA air filters in your home, and if the weather allows, open the windows while you are cooking. Or, you can try to use alternate methods of cooking more often.

There are also efforts underway to make the transition to an electric stove more affordable. In the United States, the Inflation Reduction Act offers refunds of up to $840 for the purchase of an electric stove or oven. In Canada, the Energy Savings Rebate program covers 25 percent of your purchase of efficient appliances including induction stoves. You can find a list of home efficiency rebates from the Australian government here.

Don’t forget to use your voice: help others make the switch by advocating for government subsidies like the IRA or ESR, or support regulations like those in California and New York that will give more people access to clean indoor air and reduce our emissions of heat-trapping gases.

It isn’t only about stoves. Furnaces, water heaters, and other gas-powered appliances also leak methane and other air pollutants. At least two of my colleagues, Gaurab Basu (see here) and Leah Stokes (see here,) have fully electrified their lives already, and want to help others do so, too.

Anything we can do to move away from using natural gas and go “all electric” in our daily lives is a win i

n the battle against climate change, especially as we continue to add more and more renewable energy to the electric grid!