Air Quality & Health Are Top of MindWe are learning more about the health risks from methane gas, and the implications are stark.
Combustion from methane-powered ("natural gas") appliances, including HVAC systems, water heaters and gas stoves, can lead to indoor air pollution levels that exceed EPA’s legal limits for outdoor air pollution – and these appliances are responsible for 10% of US greenhouse gas emissions. Plus, these appliances are found to leak methane even when turned off. We don’t regulate indoor air the same way we have standards for outdoor pollution. Yet we spend up to 90% of our time indoors.
"Greening the Grid" Also MattersSwapping out gas-powered appliances for electric ones can help address indoor air pollution. However, electricity powered by fossil fuels - coal or methane gas - still results in outdoor air pollution.
We've talked lots about the need to curb CO2 emissions (which is still so important!), but, by in large, we haven't talked much about the importance of decreasing our methane use until recently.
Methane's lifetime in the atmosphere is much shorter than CO2, but is more efficient at trapping radiation than CO2. Pound for pound, the comparative impact of methane is 25 times greater than CO2 over a 100-year period.1 Studies over the past decade, and especially in the past few years, have shown that:
Methane gas is, simply put, a fossil fuel with significant global warming potential. It must be addressed and a great place to start is by removing it from our homes. |
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We know the grid has the potential to become cleaner as utilities continue to transition to renewable energy sources. For instance, from 2005 - 2020, CO2 emissions from fossil fuel consumption in the Montana electric power sector decreased by approximately 38%. And in 2021, renewable energy sources accounted for 63% of Montana’s generating capacity. We must continue the push for investment in solar, wind, hydro and other renewable energy sources and not consider moving to methane gas as part of the solution.
Learn more about oil and gas pollution in Montana from our friends at MEIC.
Learn more about oil and gas pollution in Montana from our friends at MEIC.