The ridiculous sh*t that people choose to go off about these days is driving me crazy!
Don’t know what I’m talking about? Okay, so here’s the stitch:
In December 2022 there was a new peer-reviewed study released discussing the increased risk for asthma in children who are exposed to gas cooking in the home. The study concluded that 12.7% of childhood asthma cases across the United States were attributable to the use of gas stoves.
Makes sense to me, a mere commoner, that the open burning of a gas in a home would likely release harmful pollutants into the air, especially in homes that lacked proper and effective ventilation. In fact, there are over 50 years’ worth of accumulated data related to the health impact of gas-burning stoves and their emissions. Whodathunk, huh? Not much different than studies citing the negative health effects of second hand smoke (harmful pollutants into the air).
Sometime thereafter, a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission commissioner suggested, in an interview, that IF the appliances could not be made safer then a ban on gas appliances might find its way onto the table.
If. Might.
As in, IF they couldn’t be regulated to meet acceptable emission standards, and/or couldn’t be effectively paired with an appropriate ventilation system to reduce those emissions to more acceptable levels.
At no point in time did anyone in any position of getting it done state that they are going to immediately be coming to knock down people’s doors and drag away their beloved gas stoves!
Take a deep breath here and think about how slowly government moves.
Will they increase regulations on them? Probably. Most likely moving forward on future models and in new construction installs and such.
Will they offer incentives to encourage people to convert to electric? Yep, already doing it via the Inflation Reduction Act, which offers up to $840 in rebates towards the appliance and up to another $500 to help with the conversion costs, PLUS up to an additional $4000 tax credit for those who require an electrical panel upgrade to accommodate the switch from natural gas or propane to electric.
No one HAS to do it.
I mean, why in the world would anyone ever want to reconsider their cooking choices based upon new, rational, documented knowledge and a desire to give their family the best shot possible at a healthy future? Ridiculous.
Honestly, the scariest (and saddest) part of this study’s release is thinking about all the low- and mid-income families who do care about it and would want to make the switch, but are never going to be able to, even with the offer of rebates and tax credits.
That’s the real travesty here: wanting desperately to do the best for your family and not having the ability to do it.