The state is the first to put labels on the appliances pointing consumers to evidence about the harms of cooking with gas. Appliance manufacturers are…
A small anecdote from an outsider - here in Sweden, gas stoves are more or less unheard of, as is using gas for heating homes or water. One of the things I kept reading occasionally on the internet was people trying to sell me on the importance of owning a CO monitor. This was always strange to me as these basically are not a thing here in Sweden. It took me a long time to connect these two facts together - there is no need for us to own CO monitors, because we never even expose ourselves to the risk of CO poisoning by not burning gas in our homes.
Apart from that, induction is just so amazing to cook on that there’s really no way that exposing yourselves to the reduced air quality + risk of CO poisoning + always having a source of emissions when cooking can be worth the feeling of cooking on a gas stove. There’s just no way.
Just use ample ventilation when using your folks’ gas stove. Nitrogen dioxide is the by-product they are concerned about when burning natural gas and if you don’t vent it out, it can cause health issues for lungs/airways. Moreso for children as they’re still developing. Children living in homes with gas stoves have a 20% greater chance of developing asthma. Furthermore, if a leak develops it’ll have benzene in it and you don’t want to breathe that.
Re-circulation probably happens quite often in electric arrangements. I suppose I’d wonder about the design of a kitchen in which gas was employed and they failed to install venting to outside airspace. Although, I am sure it does happen.
If that is the case, then opening a window whilst cooking would be prudent.
I’ve had 4 generations grow up in house with propane stovetop. My neighbors have several generations growing up with propane stovetops. Not a single lung disease or breathing issue except our 91 neighbor who smoked in the 80s.
What is really the factor here? Probably that we all have good ventilation and are not living in an urban area next to high pollution factors like highways or industrial complexes.
I hate to sound like a nimby or maga or whatever they are being called and I lean to the left living near Seattle but this just seems like another twisted study that should be of concern under certain contexts. Unfortunately right now having all electric appliances could be more costly as the grid is taxed more from EV usage, carbon taxes and Trumps attacks on renewables. It’s a shitty situation but anything with a label of “This is deadly, here’s a study for proof” should be met with some skeptism and serious research before your purchase.
There are people who make it out fine after having lived all of their lives in the thick smog of Delhi, that does not make breathing in that smog any healthier.
I have no idea why you even bring this anecdote, as if it were even the slightest bit relevant when measured against the body of evidence present
Indoor air quality is measurably worse, of things known to cause lung issues and there is a statistically significant increase in asthma among kids who grew up in a house with gas stoves. It seems like a solid case to stop using gas stoves
Clearly not everyone develops health conditions but it’s stupid to unnecessarily fight the odds
You do not want that shit in your home.
is it actually that bad? my parents have gas and I LOVE cooking with it. I’m not defending it i’m just genuinely curious how hazardous it is and why.
Another video to add onto the pile: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX2aZUav-54
A small anecdote from an outsider - here in Sweden, gas stoves are more or less unheard of, as is using gas for heating homes or water. One of the things I kept reading occasionally on the internet was people trying to sell me on the importance of owning a CO monitor. This was always strange to me as these basically are not a thing here in Sweden. It took me a long time to connect these two facts together - there is no need for us to own CO monitors, because we never even expose ourselves to the risk of CO poisoning by not burning gas in our homes.
Apart from that, induction is just so amazing to cook on that there’s really no way that exposing yourselves to the reduced air quality + risk of CO poisoning + always having a source of emissions when cooking can be worth the feeling of cooking on a gas stove. There’s just no way.
Here’s an hour long video about gas stoves. At about 29 minutes in, he looks at CO2 levels. The CO2 results are not brilliant to say the least .
I’d be more worried about CO.
TLDR?
Just use ample ventilation when using your folks’ gas stove. Nitrogen dioxide is the by-product they are concerned about when burning natural gas and if you don’t vent it out, it can cause health issues for lungs/airways. Moreso for children as they’re still developing. Children living in homes with gas stoves have a 20% greater chance of developing asthma. Furthermore, if a leak develops it’ll have benzene in it and you don’t want to breathe that.
This may be harder than it sounds. Often, the vent hood (such as in the microwave) doesn’t vent outside and just recirculates it in the kitchen.
Re-circulation probably happens quite often in electric arrangements. I suppose I’d wonder about the design of a kitchen in which gas was employed and they failed to install venting to outside airspace. Although, I am sure it does happen.
If that is the case, then opening a window whilst cooking would be prudent.
Yes they dump toxic shit into your home. https://harvardpublichealth.org/environmental-health/gas-stove-debate-are-they-bad-for-your-health/
I personally like gas stoves, but I think the issue are the byproducts of combustion.
Especially incomplete combustion.
I’ve had 4 generations grow up in house with propane stovetop. My neighbors have several generations growing up with propane stovetops. Not a single lung disease or breathing issue except our 91 neighbor who smoked in the 80s.
What is really the factor here? Probably that we all have good ventilation and are not living in an urban area next to high pollution factors like highways or industrial complexes.
I hate to sound like a nimby or maga or whatever they are being called and I lean to the left living near Seattle but this just seems like another twisted study that should be of concern under certain contexts. Unfortunately right now having all electric appliances could be more costly as the grid is taxed more from EV usage, carbon taxes and Trumps attacks on renewables. It’s a shitty situation but anything with a label of “This is deadly, here’s a study for proof” should be met with some skeptism and serious research before your purchase.
There are people who make it out fine after having lived all of their lives in the thick smog of Delhi, that does not make breathing in that smog any healthier.
I have no idea why you even bring this anecdote, as if it were even the slightest bit relevant when measured against the body of evidence present
Indoor air quality is measurably worse, of things known to cause lung issues and there is a statistically significant increase in asthma among kids who grew up in a house with gas stoves. It seems like a solid case to stop using gas stoves
Clearly not everyone develops health conditions but it’s stupid to unnecessarily fight the odds
so if you’ve got passive ventilation it should be fine? Just like using any sort of burner I guess
You need a hood which vents outside and which moves a lot more air than is typical. Passive ventilation doesn’t do anywhere near enough