THE Climate Council has partnered with founder of the I Quit Sugar movement Sarah Wilson to launch a new campaign sounding the alarm about the health dangers of gas in our homes.
The I Quit Gas campaign is calling on state and territory governments to help Australians say goodbye to toxic gas for good with interest free loans for switching to all-electric home appliances.
It comes as a new national poll of 1,126 Australians, commissioned by the Climate Council, shows 90% of Australians are well aware of the health dangers of tobacco and asbestos, yet only 32% are aware that gas in the home is a significant health hazard.
"I founded I Quit Sugar a decade ago to help people live healthier by cutting processed sugar out of their lives at a time when there was a pretty low level of public awareness of the links between sugar and chronic diseases.
"Now, I'm taking on gas, another dangerous substance lurking in Aussie homes," Wilson said.
"The evidence is clear and mounting that gas stoves and heaters leak toxic gases including nitrogen dioxide into our homes, which has been linked to asthma in children.
"Unfortunately, public awareness about the ticking time bombs in our homes is unacceptably low.
"Just like big tobacco and big sugar have gone to great lengths to downplay the dangers of their products, the gas industry has spent millions trying to falsely market gas as 'natural', when it is in fact toxic and dangerous.
"As well as the health risk, gas is a fossil fuel that is rapidly worsening climate change.
"It has no place in our kitchens and homes, and we should be kicking gas out and moving to all-electric options for cooking, heating and hot water as fast as possible.
"I am a renter myself, so I am totally aware that this is easier said than done.
"I have very recently bought myself a cheap portable induction cooktop.
"And in the meantime, I'll work hard to lobby governments to help all Australians, no matter your income or housing situation, to get off gas.
"Interest-free loans are a great solution and will also incentivise landlords to swap gas appliances to electric ones," said Wilson.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 30 Mar 23
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