Thank you for the excellent article regarding increased asthma risks in Snohomish County (“Amid high asthma rates, Snohomish County seeks climate solutions,” The Herald, Oct. 12). It is very encouraging to see that our county is taking steps to improve respiratory health by monitoring outdoor air.
However, omitted in your article is the effect of indoor pollution, which is unregulated and can exceed recommended outdoor levels in homes burning fossil fuels for heat or cooking. Recent studies reviewed by Scientific American have shown that about 12 percent of asthma cases in the U.S. are caused by in-home natural gas appliances. This is a serious additional health burden, especially if residents already live in neighborhoods with significant pollution.
I recommend you add to the “What you can do” list:
Be sure to ventilate to the outdoors when cooking with gas.
When it is time to replace your gas stove or furnace or if you have family members with respiratory conditions, consider installing non-polluting electric appliances. Although these can be more expensive than gas, there is help! Check “The Switch is On” website for current rebates and credits or register to attend a Kicking Gas information session to learn about significant subsidies for electric heat pumps and stoves.
David Jones
Edmonds
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