You Might Have to Snuff Out Your Gas Stove to Fight Climate Change

November 12, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

Plus, McDonald’s unveils a snickerdoodle McFlurry, and more news to start your day

More cities are doing away with gas stoves in favor of electric

Getting rid of plastic straws for the sake of the environment was just one step. Now, climate-conscious states like California are taking aim at gas stoves, with 13 cities and one county adopting building codes that ban gas or encourage all-electric new construction, USA Today reports.

In June, Berkeley became the first city in the nation to prohibit gas in all newly constructed buildings (building owners can apply for an exemption, say, if a restaurant occupies the space). Natural gas hookups in buildings, which are often used to power furnaces, water heaters, dryers, and gas stoves, make up 17 percent of national natural gas usage, according to the Energy Information Administration — a not insignificant number, when natural gas produces 33 percent of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation. The number of natural gas customers is also rising, USA Today reports. If the nation’s goal is to reduce emissions and eventually become carbon-neutral in hopes of mitigating disastrous effects from climate change, that’s the wrong direction to be headed in.

For some homeowners, the biggest hurdle to switching to an all-electric household is the prospect of going without a gas stove. USA Today reports that more U.S. households have an electric stove (55 percent) than gas (35 percent), but the idea of not being able to cook with live fire can be a turn-off for home cooks and professional chefs. With induction ranges — which use electromagnetic energy to directly and quickly heat metal-bottomed pots and pans — making headway, perhaps more homeowners and chefs can be persuaded to give up their natural gas for the greater good.

And in other news…

• McDonald’s new holiday dessert is a Snickerdoodle McFlurry, available exclusively via Uber Eats delivery through November 17 before its national launch. [Brand Eating]
• Chipotle is expanding access to mental healthcare services for more than 80,000 employees in 2020. [The Takeout]
• After a three-year absence, Zagat — now owned by the Infatuation — has brought back its pocket-size, burgundy-colored guidebook to New York City restaurants. [NYT]
• The Michelin Guide is heading to Slovenia. [@MichelinGuideUK]
• Cook Out, a North Carolina-based fast-food chain, fired a cashier and a manager after the cashier refused to serve a police officer. [ABC News]
• Pizza topping brand Ezzo Sausage Company is recalling more than 25,000 pounds of meat due to listeria. [ABC 7]
• There are a growing number of food-focused museums and gastronomy centers opening around the world. [NYT]
• The most delicious foods that no longer exist. [Gastropod]
• Ahh Friendsgiving season:

• All AM Intel Coverage [E]