Metrics & MoreArticle RecommendationsI n the United States, the basic functions of cooking, heating, cooling, and hot water are often powered by natural gas. However, gas is responsible for the majority (81−87%) of carbon emissions generated by buildings. 1 Moreover, cooking with gas contributes to significant indoor air pollution. 2 A recent study published in Environmental Science & Technology further uncovered the presence of multiple volatile organic compounds in unburned gas from kitchen stoves, providing the most comprehensive documentation to date of healthdamaging pollutants stemming from gas stoves. 3 Among these pollutants was benzene, which decreases immune function and is a known carcinogen. The study also found that indoor gas leaks are an underappreciated source of indoor pollutants because most small leaks go undetected, 3 adding to the concerning finding that gas stoves leak even when turned off. 4 The implications of this study are clear: home dwellers need an alternative to gas-powered stoves that protects their health. However, transitioning away from such a ubiquitous appliance will carry an inherent set of infrastructural and individual-level challenges. Notably, very little is known about the barriers and facilitators of such a transition from a user perspective and through an equity lens.

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