Science Advances report also finds people of color and low-income residents in US disproportionately affected

Science Advances report also finds people of color and low-income residents in US disproportionately affected

Using a gas stove increases nitrogen dioxide exposure to levels that exceed public health recommendations, a new study shows. The report, published Friday in Science Advances, found that people of color and low-income residents in the US were disproportionately affected.

Indoor gas and propane appliances raise average concentrations of the harmful pollutant, also known as NO2, to 75% of the World Health Organization’s standard for indoor and outdoor exposure.

That means even if a person avoids exposure to nitrogen dioxide from traffic exhaust, power plants, or other sources, by cooking with a gas stove they will have already breathed in three-quarters of what is considered a safe limit.

“When you’re using a gas stove, you are burning fossil fuel directly in the home,” said Yannai Kashtan, lead author of the study and a PhD candidate at Stanford University. “Ventilation does help but it’s an imperfect solution and ultimately the best way is to reduce pollution at the source.”

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    484·
    7 months ago

    I want to say now since we just got one that modern glass-top electric stoves are pretty great. They heat up quickly and they’re very easy to clean. So the latter part is already a huge advantage over gas stoves.

    We didn’t even get a fancy one or anything. A basic model.

    • Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social
      84·
      7 months ago

      They heat up quickly and they’re very easy to clean.

      I keep seeing people say this as a benefit of glass-top electrics, but this has never been the case with any one of those I’ve used. A boil-over invariably leaves a grimy black ring that can’t be scrubbed off even with hours of scrubbing. So they end up looking grimy.

      Meanwhile, my sealed gas burners are easy to get clean. I just sweep up the crumbs and then dump some boiling water and a couple drops of dish soap and wipe it up.

      • OhmsLawn@lemmy.world
        14·
        7 months ago

        I just spent almost two weeks on vacation in an apartment with an induction stove. I’ve had gas my whole life. I was impressed. It heated the pans faster and more evenly, the temperature was more tuneable and it was easy to clean.

        While standard resistive stoves do get those rings, the inductive one almost certainly wouldn’t, because the glass only gets heated by the pan, rather than the other way around.

        The only difficulty was the Samsung UX. It was a bit of a chore to get the pan centered on the coil, and there was insufficient feedback when you got it right or wrong and if it wasn’t in the right place it just wouldn’t work. I got used to it, but I’d have liked some better markings, and an LED ring that would show when it was on. It also didn’t automatically heat the pan quickly on startup. You had to set it to 9, then back off, otherwise it would heat the pan on a duty cycle.

        If I were to upgrade my kitchen, I’d absolutely go with induction. However, even beyond my usual research, I’d make damn sure I got the best option on this. I love cooking too much to screw it up.

          • Thassodar@lemm.ee
            3·
            7 months ago

            My main beef is that I have pretty thorough knowledge of appliance warranties and induction stoves are near impossible to repair. I think it’s partially because the techs don’t know how they actually work, so getting an accurate diagnosis was rough. Most of the time they had to be replaced outright.

            If I were to get one I’d probably get a countertop one with a single burner so that if it fails I don’t have to replace the whole induction range, I can just replace that single point of failure.

          • Pretzilla@lemmy.world
            2·
            7 months ago

            Pick up a portable induction HOB and use it on the side. Even though the cheap ones are pretty crappy in many regards, they still work great for what they are and give a good idea of what to expect from a high quality one.

            Side note on cost, the inflation reduction act provides rebates to switch to induction.

      • catloaf@lemm.eeEnglish
        4·
        7 months ago

        What were you using to clean? I’ve been able to get those rings off with the regular glass cooktop cleaner and a little elbow grease. You could probably use something a little more abrasive but still glass-safe if you wanted.

        My main issue was it’s harder to get greases off completely instead of leaving a slight streaky film, but that’s mostly just an aesthetic concern.

        • Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social
          1·
          7 months ago

          I’m using a non-scratching scrubbing pad and the recommended stovetop cleaner. I can get most of the worst of it, but there’s always a ring of carbonized food that just sticks around.

        • Thassodar@lemm.ee
          4·
          7 months ago

          A word of warning: if it’s a Samsung appliance it will fail within the first year, or right outside of it. Samsung appliances are garbage, their electronics are solid.

      • mox@lemmy.sdf.org
        21·
        7 months ago

        A boil-over invariably leaves a grimy black ring that can’t be scrubbed off even with hours of scrubbing.

        I expect it would depend on what cleaning product you use. Bar Keepers Friend does wonders on stainless steel; perhaps it’s safe for glass as well?

        • RainfallSonata@lemmy.world
          6·
          7 months ago

          Same. The upgrade in cleaning effort is beyond words. These are what the “rich people” had when I was a teenager. I’ve just inherited my first. I yearn for the induction model, though.

          • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
            6·
            7 months ago

            I bought an induction hot plate that I keep on the counter next to the stovetop. Not only do I get a fifth burner, it heats up confusingly fast. It’s incredible for boiling a large pot of water.

            • Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social
              21·
              7 months ago

              I have an induction hot plate and while it’s great for boiling water or searing steak it will invariably burn anything I attempt to cook on low because it just uses high heat for a shorter amount of time instead of doing a constant lower power.

              I’m probably going to get an induction stove next, but I’m not buying one that I don’t get to test out first to avoid this. I really hope the full-size ones don’t do this but I don’t trust companies on principle and they’ll do something stupid like that to save money.

              • catloaf@lemm.eeEnglish
                2·
                7 months ago

                What kind of pan are you using? Maybe a heavier one like cast iron would work better.

                But I’ve used regular full ones and they didn’t have that issue. I’ve also seen them used just fine in commercial kitchens.

                • Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social
                  1·
                  7 months ago

                  I’ve used both cheap steel pans and cast iron, and while the effect is less it still turns my sweated onions into sauteed onions intermittently. I’m glad to hear that mine is just built cheaply and that proper induction tops can handle consistent low temperature better. Still not buying one without trying it, though

                  Honestly, I would love a stove that’s just a 3" thick steel top with induction burners on one side. There would be a steady temperature gradient the whole way across, and pans of any size, shape, or material could be put anywhere on the surface for just the right amount of heat.

    • jimmydoreisalefty@lemmy.world
      31·
      7 months ago

      Thanks for sharing!

      Any additional information you may like to share or any links or research you did before buying?

      Pros and cons you have seen, over the weeks/years?

      Good or cheap basic model, $700 plus?

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
        3·
        7 months ago

        We were going to, but they’re so much more expensive than electric. We did opt for a conventional plus convection oven though. That was definitely a good purchase.