Healthy Indoors | 45
regulatory agencies would improve
the ways they track and report home
natural gas hazards to the public.
"The climate implications of gas
use mean that we have to electrify
our homes eventually, and eventually
is pretty soon — 2040 or 2050, if you
want to stabilize the climate at 1.5 to
2 degrees Celsius," Stanford scientist
Robert Jackson told The Boston Globe.
"The potential health implications in this
study, and in our work, provide an addi-
tional reason to support the electrifica-
tion of homes and buildings."
Though it can be expensive to con-
vert gas ranges, furnaces, and clothes
dryers to electricity if they already use
natural gas, consumers can take sever-
al steps to use less gas and to minimize
exposure to the indoor air pollution that
may come from leaking gas pipes.
In the kitchen, turn on the exhaust
fan before cooking or baking and leave
it running while the appliance is in use.
Crack open a window to increase air
circulation, especially in winter, when
the C-Change study showed that the
concentration of toxic air pollutants
was highest. And use counter-top
electric appliances in place of gas
ones, such as a larger capacity electric
toaster oven that can handle roasts,
casseroles, and pies; a slow cooker
for soups and stews; an air fryer; and
electric kettle and coffee pot. Though
it's expensive to completely replace a
gas range, single and double-burner
induction ranges are affordable and
work well for stove top cooking.
If you have a gas clothes dryer,
switch to air drying on outdoor lines
or clothes drying racks that can be
folded out of the way when not in use.
(NOTE: I use drying racks for every-
thing but sheets and towels.)
If you have a gas-powered furnace,
increase attic insulation and weather-
strip doors and windows to reduce
how much you use the furnace to heat
your home in fall and winter months. If
your water heater also uses gas, wash
clothes in cold water, wash full loads,
and take other measures to reduce
hot water needs.
Notably, all these actions will also
help you shrink your carbon footprint
and save you money on your heating
and water bills.
Keep your family safer with these
tips on how to reduce your exposure
to indoor air pollution from your gas
stove.
WATCH this to learn more about
"Home is Where the Pipeline Ends"
study: https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=O1JuUjk2SR4
Diane MacEachern is an award-winning
entrepreneur and long-time green ex-
pert who was named one of America's
EcoHeroes by Glamour magazine. The
recipient of the Image of the Future prize
from the World Communications Fo-
rum, Diane founded Big Green Purse
to enable women to use their consumer
clout to protect themselves, their fam-
ilies, and the planet. A best-selling au-
thor, Diane's "how to go green" books
have collectively sold almost 400,000
copies. Diane provides expert advice,
consumer guidance, and employee en-
gagement workshops to such compa-
nies as Avon, St. Ives, Whole Foods,
Frito Lay, American Bankers Associ-
ation, Pacific Life Insurance, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, and
the United Nations Development Pro-
gramme. She also speaks to non-profit
groups, religious institutions, colleges
and universities, and a wide range of
civic organizations. Diane lives with
her family just outside Washington,
D.C. in the environmentally-friendly,
energy-efficient home they helped
design and build.
