One Major Way To Take Action for Clean and Safe Homes

by Catherine Thomasson

Climate change impacts like drought and wildfires dictate driving fossil fuel use to zero. One of the major issues is reducing carbon emissions from buildings. Besides the use of electricity, this is the biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in buildings. Burning methane gas, also known as natural gas, in our homes is not clean or healthy.

Cooking with gas causes indoor air pollution sometimes to levels that exceed outdoor standards. Unfortunately, in the US, there are no indoor air pollution standards. Children raised in homes with a methane gas stove have 43% more asthma events. Carbon monoxide comes from leaks from venting of combustion from furnaces, stoves or hot water heaters. Gas in homes and underground pipes must be turned off or risk explosion in the face of an earthquake or wildfire. More importantly, use of methane (natural) gas contributes 40% of all climate emissions now.

Nearly 100 Oregonians died in last year’s heat dome event. Climate activists in Oregon have been working to pass legislation to make sure new homes and buildings are heated AND cooled with affordable, efficient energy sources that don’t worsen climate change and won’t increase your utility bills.

Join the MultDems Climate Action Team at the next meeting on Wednesday, July 27^th at 6:30 pm to plan visits with legislators to educate them about the threats of methane (natural) gas. We’ll be working on other issues as well. To get the details, email one of the co-chairs Ron Rhew at RonaldRhew@gmail.com or Catherine Thomasson thomassonct@gmail.com.

Catherine Thomasson, MD, is a candidate for state representative in HD 45. She is active with the Democratic Party of Oregon Environmental Caucus and is the new co-Chair of the MultDems Climate Action team, which is part of the Environmental Integrity Study Group. 

Image source: Creative Commons