A gas stove seems like a very minor issue – and it should be. I only bring this up because it is so frequently talked about both in rural America and in the press.
Environmental groups are fighting the gas stove because they view it as the gateway gas to the home. But these recent attempts to further regulate or even ban gas stoves has created an unnecessary and self-inflicted issue that hurts Democrats. And gas stoves will quickly disappear on their own with no effort by government. I have both a gas range and an induction range in my house. Each has strengths and weaknesses. But I can say with certainty that induction ranges will win the war at the end of the day. In the meantime, properly maintained stoves and gas lines have a minuscule impact on the climate. There are bigger fish to fry.
Rural Talking Points
If this comes up in a rural area, simply state that this is an urban issue and that no matter what is done it will not apply to rural propane hookups. Issue solved.
The Backstory
I have cooked on both gas and induction ranges. At my current home in rural America, I have a propane gas range in my front kitchen and an induction range in my back kitchen. The gas range is, of course, ventilated. I like and use both. As induction ranges become more user friendly and less expensive, they will naturally win this war. There is no reason to talk about banning something that is going to virtually disappear on its own.
This is being driven by a push to ban new hookups of gas in urban areas. This in and of itself has no impact on rural voters. Among environmentalists, the view is that the gas stove is the gateway appliance that encourages many to opt for a gas hookup. And once you have it, you might as well opt for a gas furnace and gas hot water heater. Fine. Ban new gas hookups in urban areas and be done with it.
As part of this effort though, there have been recent articles on the health and environmental consequences of gas stoves (even though cooking with gasses of any type accounts for less than 2% of all greenhouse gases) that have made ludicrous statement that just hurt Democrats. The New York Times recently stated that cooking with gas “has been shown to be catastrophic for the environment.” Really? Catastrophic? The Times also stated that “a recent study demonstrated that 75 percent of these emissions occur when the stove is off.” This is lying with the truth. This statistic applies only to stoves with pilot lights (so sure, ban pilot lights) and to homes with gas leaks in their pipes. But most new stoves have electronic ignition. And checking for gas leaks should be a routine part of home maintenance. This issue is easily addressed.
The Times also stated “The noxious fumes that get trapped in our homes are also harmful, especially for children. . . the increased risk of asthma is on par with living in a home with a smoker.” Sure, for an unventilated gas stoves, stoves with pilot lights, and homes with leaky pipes. So fix those issues. It is telling that these articles were written not by health and wellness reporters, but by climate change reporters. And not a single article noted that when the stove is on, the fan should be on – everyone should be recommending that there be an interlock between the stove and the exhaust fan. When the cook turns on the stove, the fan automatically turns on. But no one suggests this – these writers don’t want stoves to be safer. They want them banned.
The press also falsely states (when viewed from the rural perspective) that cooking with gas emits methane. Sure, if you use methane (natural gas) as your gas, that is true. It is not true if you cook with propane, which most rural voters use. They are talking about only the urban natural gas stove, not the rural propane stove. And propane accounts for only 2% of all gas cooking, or only .04% of all greenhouse emissions. To the rural voter, it appears that the urban press is either lying or doesn’t understand how rural America cooks.
The solution to this issue:
1. Require all gas stoves to have a vent hood ventilated to the outside.
2. Require an interlock between the stove and the exhaust fan so that when the stove is on, the fan is on. No one has suggested this because no one wants gas stoves to be safer.
3. Ban the pilot light. (If those even still exist).
4. Require gas line inspections whenever a home is sold. And begin a campaign to make sure that all gas lines are tested for leaks periodically. I do this every year in my house.
5. In urban areas, ban gas hookups for furnaces and hot water heaters. Allow gas in new construction only for cooking and decorative fireplaces – so long as they have electronic ignition and are ventilated. In actuality, builders would mostly end up not even bothering with gas so you end up at the same spot – all electric where it matters - without alienating rural voters.
6. Be specific that propane stoves should always be allowed. Ban natural gas (methane) connections but allow propane. This is meaningless to the urban voter but speaks loudly to the rural voter. And even there, induction ranges will eventually prevail. Problem solved. The number would be so small that it would have a minuscule impact on the environment.
And put this issue to bed. No good can come from this and gas stoves will mostly disappear on their own. This is not an issue on which Democrats should voluntarily lose votes for essentially no gain.