Though it’s often marketed as “clean” energy, natural gas is a fossil fuel and a leading source of climate pollution in British Columbia. And when used in kitchen appliances, it can pose serious health risks for vulnerable children.
When we burn natural gas to warm our homes, heat water for our shower, and/or cook our meals, we produce climate pollution.
One single home might not seem like such a big deal, but when you add them all up, the impact is massive.
How massive? British Columbia’s natural-gas homes together contribute the same amount of climate pollution each year as:
Heating a typical single-family British Columbia home entirely with natural gas can emit 4.9 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) each year.
That’s about the same climate impact as driving a gasoline vehicle 19,574 kilometres—three times the driving distance between Vancouver and Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Meanwhile, a recent Stanford University study found that natural gas stoves emit carbon pollution even when they are turned off.
In other words, when we heat or cook with natural gas, we push our province’s climate goals further out of reach.
Natural-gas kitchen appliances pollute your home with nitrogen dioxide (NO2), an air contaminant. If you cook with gas and have a child with asthma, your stovetop could be exacerbating their attacks.
In 2015, following an extensive review of the science, Health Canada issued new indoor NO2 safe exposure limits. These limits remain among the strictest in the world.
Health Canada says that most existing Canadian gas ranges do not meet its long-term NO2 exposure standard. The federal agency suggests those who cook with natural gas can reduce the risk by running a range hood on “high,” keeping its filters clean, and using only the rear gas burners.
These actions can reduce indoor air pollution, but a better solution, if you have the option, is to eliminate the hazard altogether. Switch up to healthier and non-polluting 100 per cent electric appliances.
Close to one million British Columbian households heat or cook with natural gas—and the number is growing. In 2020, the provincial natural gas utility connected an additional 13,000 homes to its service.
Gas companies like to talk about “energy choice” and affordability. But now we know natural gas carries hidden costs: It hurts our climate and pollutes our homes. Now that healthier and non-polluting 100% electric heating and cooking technologies are widely available, the right energy choice is clear.