Climate Connection #2
by Gary H. White
Aside from carbon dioxide, there is another greenhouse gas which significantly contributes to global warming. That would be methane and it is up to 80 times more heat-trapping than CO2. The IPCC estimates that methane, the atmospheric levels of which have tripled since 1750, is in fact, now responsible for 30% of all global warming worldwide.
Methane comes from multiple sources. It is generated by animal agriculture via manure and livestock emissions. It emanates from landfills by the breakdown of garbage. It comes from leaks in municipal gas lines and gas escaping from oil wells. And it also comes from the use of gas appliances in our homes. According to the EPA, air pollution inside the average gas-based home is up to 5 times higher than outdoor levels.
Methane, marketed as natural gas, that is released in the home does damage other than worsening climate change. It is a cause of numerous health problems for adults and children living in the home. Exposure can result in slurred speech, vision issues, memory loss and even respiratory problems. One study found that children in homes with gas stoves were 42% more likely to have developed asthma.
So, what can be done to address this little-known health hazard in the home? In a word, ELECTRIFY.
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For one, you can purchase an electric induction stove. The newest models have gotten rave reviews from chefs.
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You can also, in time, convert the rest of your gas appliances to electric ones. This could include an electric air heater and an electric water heater.
This conversion will not only clean-up the air at home but thanks to mostly renewable electricity now coming into Northern California homes, will lower greenhouse gas emissions as well.
