In the 19th century, we lit our streets and homes with gas lamps. In the 20th century, we stopped using gas lamps because of fires, explosions and suffocation from low indoor oxygen. Yet here we are in the 21st century, still surrounded by gas in our own homes — in our stoves, furnaces, gas fireplaces.
The tragic explosions north of Boston should tell us enough is enough. Research shows that children who grow up in homes with gas stoves without ventilation suffer from asthma at higher rates than children who don’t.
It is time for us to leave gas in the past and make a rapid transition to renewable energy for our own immediate safety, our families’ health, and the health of the planet.
That is why I chose to join Mothers Out Front, a nonpartisan movement working to swiftly transition our society to renewable energy. I encourage you to join too, or join another group working toward solutions. Or help by urging your school, your gym, your place of worship or your grocery store to switch to renewables.
In November, we can vote out legislators who are not working aggressively to solve these problems. We should hold Columbia Gas accountable for their gas line explosions, and not let them build more pipelines to expand the spread of this outdated fuel. Instead they should fix their gas leaks, especially the largest ones, immediately. We should not all have to suffer because of an old, dangerous, 19th-century practice.
Sarah Partan
Northampton