There's been a lot of buzz lately about the dangers of gas stoves. Yet many people remain skeptical that the health and safety hazards posed by these familiar appliances are real. 

In a video on the YouTube channel Distilled (@distilled-earth), Michael Thomas shared how he placed indoor air quality monitors throughout his home to see for himself. 

Thomas explained how cooking on a gas stove releases nitrogen dioxide and other pollutants into the air. These air contaminants can cause respiratory issues and exacerbate asthma conditions. 

"Children living in a home with a gas stove have a 42% higher chance of developing asthma," he said, citing a 2013 study and sharing a screenshot of a breakdown on the matter from Harvard Medical School.

Thomas monitored the air quality in his home for two months and noticed how the nitrogen dioxide levels spiked after cooking on his gas stove. He also reached out to an air quality expert, Josiah Kepper at Drexel University, to make sense of the collected data. 

The creator learned that one important metric to watch is nitrogen dioxide concentration, which typically remains high for hours after cooking with a gas stove or oven. Thomas also learned about his daily average nitrogen dioxide concentration levels and how his home had 10 times higher than the recommended safe level. 

Thomas' experiment is helpful because it highlights the severity of gas stove pollution and how this cooking method is harming public health. Thomas also noted that gas stoves contribute to overheating our planet because they burn dirty energy and release potent methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 

"That methane is heating up the planet as much as the pollution from 600,000 gas-powered cars," Thomas said. 

For these reasons, Thomas and the experts he consulted believe we should phase out gas stoves. Some cities and states are already passing laws to ensure people cook with cleaner energy to protect public health and the environment. 

In his video, Thomas also pointed out that electric stove technology has advanced a lot in recent years. 

Do you ever worry about the air quality in your home? All the time 😳 Often 🤔 Very rarely 🤷 Not at all 😬 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

For example, induction stoves offer a safer, cleaner, faster, more precise, and more efficient way to cook. Cooking with induction is more affordable than you might expect, as you can find low-cost, plug-in induction burners for as low as $50. 

By switching to induction, you can instantly improve your home's air quality and reduce your health risks. 

Thomas' YouTube followers appreciated his gas stove experiment and shared their feedback in the comments. 

"I'm getting gas disconnected from my home this week!" one viewer shared. "I've been using a pair of portable induction stoves from IKEA to cook, until I get around to removing my gas cooktop and replacing it with induction."

"Thank god this issue is finally getting the attention it deserves," someone else commented. 

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