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Our climate is at stake, and buildings are a major part of the problem.
Climate scientists agree that to stave off the worst impacts of the climate crisis, we must cut emissions in half in the next decade. While power plants and vehicle emissions get most of the attention, buildings represent over a quarter of California’s greenhouse gas emissions and are the second-largest source of emissions for most cities.
Want to know what makes California’s homes such carbon beasts? Gas appliances. All told, gas-powered appliances—i.e., gas furnaces, water heaters, stoves, and clothes dryers—release more greenhouse gas than all of California’s gas-fired power plants combined. Plus the gas system leaks methane (a greenhouse gas 86 times more potent than carbon dioxide) at the drilling site, along the gas pipelines, at our gas meter, and inside our homes, schools, buildings, and restaurants.
Here in California, we are well aware of the costs of a changing climate—droughts, wildfires, and sea level rise—so we cannot afford to keep ignoring major sources of greenhouse gas, like buildings.
Gas is a major cause of air pollution in our cities—and in our homes.
As we write this, the South Coast is on its 113th day of exceeding federal air-quality standards. The American Lung Association determined that California has notoriously the worst air quality in the country. And study after study finds air pollution hurts everyone, but people of color and low-income families bear the brunt of fossil fuel pollution.
A recent California Energy Commission study found that homes and buildings that burn gas, propane, and wood without modern pollution controls, are the largest source of fine particulate matter, which gets deep into our lungs and causes respiratory illnesses and diseases. Similarly, gas appliances in residential and commercial buildings produce nearly seven times more nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions than gas power plants do. Nitrogen oxide leads to ozone, commonly called “smog,” which can cause asthma and respiratory diseases.
Electrification will immediately improve the quality of air inside our homes, improving the health of our families. Gas appliances produce harmful indoor air pollution, specifically nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and ultrafine particles, which can cause respiratory diseases and even death. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory recently found that air pollution levels in the 60% of homes with gas stoves exceeded the US EPA’s definition of clean air, meaning that the air pollution levels in these homes would be illegal if found outdoors. This is a particularly acute issue for smaller homes with less ventilation, as well as for children and the elderly, who are more susceptible to respiratory illnesses.
Gas is a serious safety hazard. Who needs the risk?
We should feel safe in our homes. Sure, talking about the possibility of gas explosions and fires is scary and uncomfortable, and may feel alarmist, but let’s look at the risks we take on every day by using gas in our buildings.
The gas system is prone to gas leaks, fires, and deadly explosions. Just last summer, a Southern California home exploded because of a damaged gas pipeline, leaving one person dead and 15 people injured.
This risk of gas leaks and fires is heightened during an earthquake because pipelines are aging and inflexible. Seismic shifts lead to cracks and methane leaks, which cause fires and explosions. The California Seismic Safety Commission estimates that up to half of post-earthquake fires are related to gas leaks.
The path forward
The good news is that advanced electric appliances mean we have a choice. We don’t have to exacerbate climate change, pollute the air, or put our communities at risk with costly gas appliances and pipelines. In fact, zero-emission electric appliances (i.e. heat pumps and induction stoves) use at least two to five times less energy than gas, and can lower your energy bills. Lots of regulatory work is underway to make sure these clean electric alternatives are accessible and affordable to all Californians.
To help California transition off gas, we need you!
Cities across California are pioneering policies to shift off gas to a clean, affordable, zero-emissions buildings sector. From Carlsbad, in heart of the gas industry, to the progressive bellwether Berkeley, to San Jose, the third-largest city in California, eight cities have already adopted powerful building codes to cut the cord on gas, and bring clean energy into our homes. And over 50 cities across the state are pursuing plans to follow suit. Check out this blog for the latest city wins.
However, the fossil fuel industry isn’t quietly sitting on the sidelines. Southern California Gas Company, the Western States Petroleum Association, and their front groups -- Californians for Balanced Energy Solutions and Californians for Affordable and Reliable Energy—are lobbying our representatives and regulators, pushing fake news stories, and infiltrating our communities to stymie progress on climate and clean energy. News story after news story after news story (we could go on, but will spare you the links!) have blown the gas industry’s cover and exposed its sleazy—and potentially illegal—practices.
We need activists and volunteers like you to stand up to big gas and help your city be a true climate, clean air, and clean energy leader. Click here and we will keep you updated on what's happening in your city and how you can help us achieve a gas-free California with affordable clean energy for all.