OPINION: They're Coming for My Gas Stove

Anyone who has been to my house knows that I have a love-hate relationship with my very old gas stove, made in 1934 by Reliable Stove Co., a division of American Stove Co., which later became Magic Chef.

This Reliable Stove Company model from 1934 features two ovens, a broiler, a warming tray and four burners.

First, the love part.

We noticed the gas stove as we walked through the house before we bought it more than 23 years ago and couldn’t get over what amazing shape it was in. Then the seller, who was the granddaughter of the original owners, offered it to us for a few hundred dollars. Looking back, it probably was a smart way for her to get out of removing it from the house. But we were tickled and jumped at the offer. Imagine, we thought, a newly married couple cooking family meals on this stove that no doubt provided countless home-cooked meals for nearly 70 years.

Another reason I love this gas stove is because you can cook an entire Thanksgiving dinner with it. It has two ovens, a broiler, a warming drawer and four burners. Okay, only two of the burners currently work, but still, that’s a lot of room to make a huge meal. Also, the gas heats quickly and cooks food evenly.

Finally, I love this old gas stove because it won’t die. In 23 years, we have been through two refrigerators, three dishwashers and four microwaves, but the stove is still going strong. They truly don’t make ‘em like they used to.

Now, the main reason I hate this old gas stove is because it won’t die. I keep waiting for it to stop working so that I can finally get an expensive gas stove that looks really old but has all of the modern conveniences. I don’t think that’s ever going to happen. At this rate, I will be passing down this stove to one of my children, and not one of them wants it.

Another reason I hate my old gas stove is that the stovetop and oven burners light with the same intensity as a blast furnace. Out of my three young-adult children, only one of them has been brave enough to light one of the ovens. I usually let out a small scream every time I light the oven on the right side. Doesn’t everyone cook like this?

The thing is, this is a powerful, well-built beast of a stove that will outlive all of us; it just lacks the smooth convenience of its modern-day counterparts.

Finally, while it was dreamy and romantic to cook family meals on this stove for several years, the magic eventually wore off. Instead of looking prim and put together like the woman in the picture above (although what is up with that harsh haircut?), I end up looking more like a mad scientist, with brews bubbling on the stove as I slam heavy oven doors and try not to singe off my hair. (Maybe that’s why she has such a short ‘do.)

I exaggerate ever-so-slightly, but this oven is inextricably tied to some of the best and the worst parts of our lives. From the smells of freshly baked peanut butter cookies to the sounds of me yelling out four-letter words after the cast-iron oven door has yet again fallen off its hinges and into my unprepared hands, this Reliable Stove has been a reliable, if sometimes aggravating, companion in our home.

And now that could all be taken away.

Cities such as Los Angeles, New York and Seattle have banned the installation of natural gas appliances in new homes and apartments. This squares with the White House’s plan to retrofit homes with items like LED lighting, insulation and electric appliances. To counter this trend, several states, including Ohio, have enacted laws that prevent their cities from implementing natural gas bans.

The gas stove dates to 1826. It’s estimated that today, about 1/3 of American homes have a gas stove. Until recently, not much was said about their impact on the environment, but a study from Stanford delivered some bad news: Most gas stoves continue to emit methane even when they are turned off. According to the EPA, methane is about 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere.

You could lose your mind hunting for stats on the gases that trap the most heat in the atmosphere. Methane accounts for 16% of global gas emissions, according to the EPA. Carbon dioxide from fossil fuels and industrial processes accounts for 65% of global gas emissions. The EPA also claims that fluorinated gases (also called F-gases) account for just 2% of greenhouse gas emissions.

But according to several other scientific studies, F-gases are far more potent than even carbon dioxide. Some F-gases have 24,000 times more global warming potential than carbon dioxide! F-gases are often found in refrigerators and air conditioners as coolant; they are also found in automobile air conditioners.

The point I’m getting at here is that climate change is fluid. Just when you think you’ve figured out the biggest culprits (coal plants, deforestation, gas automobiles, etc.), a new source is uncovered. And those sources hit closer and closer to home. It’s your air conditioner, your refrigerator, your washer and dryer, your stove, the PVC siding on your house…. Trying to figure out how to live without adding excess pressure on the environment can cause stress and anxiety.

Although it may seem otherwise, the United States has been steadily reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. According to the EPA: “In 2020, U.S. greenhouse gas emissions totaled 5,981 million metric tons (13.2 trillion pounds) of carbon dioxide equivalents. This total represents a 7% decrease since 1990 and a 20% decrease since 2005.” (The only increase was for emissions of F-gases, which increased by a whopping 90%.)

Yet, we are made to feel that we as individuals are not doing enough. The world is going to fizzle out in 8-10 years unless we eliminate gas stoves! So let’s get rid of all of the gas stoves and then… everyone will be using electricity and then… the grid is going to be overloaded (which is currently happening in California). It’s a never-ending cycle.

Listen, I’m all about taking care of the environment. If there’s something I could be doing to make the earth healthier for myself and future generations, sign me up. It’s just I’m left wondering, what will be next? And how much of a difference is it really going to make?

So far, no laws have been enacted in the United States to ban existing gas stoves. Who knows if that will change in the near future? For now, my old Reliable Stove is bolted to the wood floor, so it’s not going anywhere. I will continue to cook with it, curse at it and love-hate it for as long as I can.