Dear Subscriber,
While in detainment, I listened to a local news conservative host ripping the moves of the Pacific Northwest progressive Washington state to ban gas stoves to protect the environment from fossil fuels. California may actually lead in this endeavor. A similar move is coming in New York state. These moves also are on the heels of a set of dueling studies suggesting that indoor gas stoves might be a cause of childhood asthma. One study suggests it. Another finds indoor gas stoves are not a significant source of indoor air pollution.
Let’s look at logic. Perhaps we’ll find idiocy. First, I am an environmentalist, I admit it, and, it should be clear here in my journalism. Humans are destroying the planet. I don’t think our grandchildren will have much to look forward to, if they arrive at all with plummeting sperm counts from our wanton poisoning of everything with man-made chemicals.
But heat is simple. Two ways you can make heat in your home – burn fossil fuels (or wood), or consume electricity. Of course, you can trap heat from the sun, but that won’t be sufficient to cook food. And, if you live in the Pacific Northwest, you can’t trap enough solar heat for water heating in prolonged periods of rain and drizzle.
So consider electricity for your stove now. First, you have to generate the electricity. That likely will take fossil fuels. So, either they will be burned at the generating station or at your home. But, it’s worse than that. There is a law of physics. Every time you change an energy from on form to another, you lose some. And, energy is lost in transmission of electricity. I lived in Alaska for 22 years. We knew full well that electricity was not nearly as efficient for home heat as gas. So, when you make the switch from gas stove to electricity, to generate the same BTUs, you will have to burn more at the utility than at home to utilize the same amount. Think of all the people on the margin who will have to pay more for heat and cooking with money they do not have.
I am a greenie, but I don’t like to think of myself as a loonie. I would much rather see heat for cooking generated on site for the above reasons (green reasons). Furthermore, natural gas is quite clean. It’s main product of combustion is water over carbon dioxide, as compared to say – petroleum or coal. It does have a tiny trace of sulfur added so that you can detect its odor if there is a gas leak, but I’m not convinced it is a problem for health. (I admit, for a few, it could be).
(BTW, as a greenie I would really like to see preservations of forests, the Amazon, and ocean plankton as sinks for carbon and recycling it back to oxygen. But the powers at be want to terrorize you into submission before raising such practical thoughts, while Nature is plundered for profit).
So what are the Progressive Socialists planning to do to generate massive new electricity to power electric stoves and heat homes? Burn more coal? More nukes? Put more greenhouse gases into the environment from a utility so that you are not doing it from home? I am not absolutely convinced that the electric car mandate is best either. From what I can tell, there might be a small (much less than expected) benefit to the environment. You still need to generate and transmit massive amounts of electricity. Terri and I do have an electric car. We try to offset it with a solar array.
Regarding asthma, there is NO doubt that childhood vaccines are a contributing factor to atopic disease (asthma, allergy, eczema). Why do they not consider the forcible vaccination policies which have been instituted in these Leftist states. No, more vaccines, more asthma, so “let’s ban them from using gas stoves to remedy the former”.
The Progressive Leftists are illogical in many areas. This one is lunacy (“loonacy”?).
To Your Excellent Health,
Robert Jay Rowen, MD
PS Autism has just been announced to have increased to one in 36 children. I think there is something lunatic about the fact that vaccine contribution is being ignored. No studies on all cause morbidity and mortality have been done despite decades of calling for the same. Dr. Dan Kenner and I plan a report for you soon on the use of a very novel, totally safe, light (photon) therapy that is promising for autism spectrum disorders.
https://www.autismspeaks.org/autism-statistics-asd
Lunacy on All Levels - Banning Gas Heating Elements in Homes
Thank you. Yes, leakage is an issue and methane is more problematic than CO2. So, I'd like to see some. objective study comparing both CO2 and methane release between gas stoves and electric stoves when considering the generation of the electricity of the stove. I am open to reconsideration.
I believe I was correct on school vaccinations, and certainly correct on COVID vaccines. So, why is the Left stating different?