Most people assume that products available on the market are safe. It’s reasonable to expect that retailers would provide sufficient information if a product could pose a danger to your health. We see this every day in warning labels on cigarettes, and small-sized choking hazards warnings on toys. We expect to be informed as consumers.
There is a gas stove, which might be found in your kitchen, but it was sold without a warning label.
Gas stoves are very popular. Massachusetts has a lot of gas stoves.HalfAll homes have gas lines to heat and cook. Even thoughPopular cultureWe are told that gas cooking is superior. This is a groundbreaking discoveryStudyStanford confirms that there are many moreReportsGas stoves can cause serious health problems by releasing dangerous levels of pollutants into enclosed spaces.
The gas used to cook produces carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. A stove can be used for heating.Only minutesPoor ventilation can lead to dangerous levels of these pollutants, which exceeds the Environmental Protection Agency’s indoor air quality standard for nitrogen dioxideoutdoors. These pollutants are then released into your home.
In children, prolonged exposure to dust can lead to asthma.worsen symptomsFor people with preexisting lung diseases. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health was established in 2017.Published a studyReports indicate that having a gas stove is a major trigger for asthma in children in the Bay State.
Gas can also have negative environmental effects. Methane, a greenhouse gases, is the main component of the gas we use in our homes.80 times more potent then carbon dioxide.
Methane can leak into the air from transport pipes; in fact a recentReportHarvard found that methane emissions due to Boston’s gas infrastructure leakage are six times higher than originally estimated, despite attempts to repair the gas pipeline leaks.
Once the gas has reached your stove, it is stillleaks continuouslyThis is a recentStudyStanford estimates that methane is equal to half a million cars driving in one year.
There are better options. Induction or electric stoves can cook food without using high temperatures.There are dangerous levels of pollutantsinto our homes. They work, contrary to popular belief. WellThey perform as well, if not more, than their gas counterparts. It can also help to reduce greenhouse gasses that are contributing to the climate crisis. Electric-powered appliances can run cleaner and more environmentally friendly as the power system is progressively fueled by.More renewable energy sourcesIn Massachusetts, solar power increased by almost4,000 GWhSince 2011.
This is not common knowledge. There is little information available about the health and environmental effects of gas stoves or the benefits of induction or electric cooking when you visit a store to purchase one.
Every gas stove should have a clearly visible warning label from the manufacturer. This will ensure that all consumers are aware of the risks and how to minimize them.AlwaysDirect external or externally ducted overhead ventilation.
We need retailers to take the initiative to protect public safety and health.
Best Buy: As the country’sThird largestAppliance retailer with23They have extensive reach in all areas of the state. This is because they are aligned with their company values.
Best Buy has already made great climate pledges, such as setting a goal to help their customers.Reduce their carbon emissions by 20% by 2030. The company is also a founding Member of theRace to ZeroCampaign is an initiative that encourages companies and individuals to take action on climate change and achieve net-zero emissions. Best Buy has built its brand around improving customers’ lives by introducing them new tech that isn’t gas-powered.
It is possible to change the way we market stoves, and educate consumers about the health dangers of cooking with natural gas. This will allow the public make better choices, and help usher the transition to safer, cleaner, and more efficient electric alternatives.
Deirdre Crummings is the Consumer Program Director at MASSPIRG Education Fund. It is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that works to protect public’s health.www.masspirgedfund.org.Brita Lundberg, M.D. Chair of the Board at Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility. This non-profit group of doctors and health professionals has the mission to inform policy makers and the public about the health effects of climate changes on human health.