I've always had a preference for gas, which is perhaps something to do with whacking the pan on the grates in some cheffy pastiche, and yes that cooking on gas line (which I'd never thought about), but now building a house in an eco-focused development where gas isn't an option and we'll be 100% solar the blinkers have been lifted. Part financial, part environmental, part there is no choice, and part the fact that many chefs are now saying its vastly superior. I'm sure we'll look back in perhaps even a decade and wonder why we were so wedded to gas.
You would be a great spokesperson for an anti-gas ad. Love your honesty (part there is no choice) and your other reasons are sensible and noble. Who are these many chefs? That's who we need to be hearing from too.
I think the bigger influence won't necessarily be chefs. They influence me because of what I do, but I think the big influence will be the notable home cooks / writers.
Great! I feel that should be a starting point. Making induction cooking sexy, as you like to put it. Get these famous chefs (and others) extolling the virtues of induction cooking that make it utterly irresistible. I could even see a Master Chef episode where contestants cook the same meal, half use gas, half use induction.
I'm surprised there hasn't been any tabloid push back on the fact that you are being paid to push this message (unlike your I Quit Sugar gig) and in the context that Big Gas have been paying people to spread these lies. I'm not suggesting you don't get paid, I'm just seeing a weak point if you're comparing to the I Quit Sugar campaign.
Also, as you are a renter, about to be a European renter, would love to hear your personal commitment to quiting gas (apologies if you've already addressed this elsewhere).
I think the hardest thing in persuading people to step away from the flame is that humans are deeply attracted to and soothed by flames of all types - candles, wood burners, open fires. And there's something deeply comforting when those quick little clicking sounds on your stove top suddenly burst into a blue flame. The older you are the more attached you'll probably be to your gas stove top, if that's what you've always used. I'm guessing some boomers are going to find this a bit challenging. And so they should.
Love this campaign. The time is right. it will ruffle feathers.
Yup, we pitched to Masterchef to do exactly that! Declined...
Re the being paid bit....I'd challenge anyone to go at me on this. One argt I'd put forward is that this is my campaign and product (with the Climate Council). I'm not plugging a third party's interest. This is what I do. Everyone knows my interests and can challenge me on it. The Daily Tele today did a REALLY real and balanced write-up. And I just did 3AW...they tried to "get me" on a few things...but it was all pretty balanced.
Added, at the moment if the gas bottle is empty I have to drive to the servo to replace. A round trip of 45mins. So it's a big 'ol boon to the fossil fuel industry just to put the coffee on.
Hey Sarah, signed the open letter, well done you for adding your weight to the battle.
On an IG post of yours I saw someone say induction was a health issue as well - pacemakers, electro-magnetic waves etc etc. Could you comment? I am conscious of turning off phones at night, not having tv’s in bed room etc. However always good to surface criticisms and meet them head on.
Hey, we'll cover in the IG live (which I'll share in feed) with one of the scientists from the CC...but short answer is that the science on all this is incredibly weak and the science that does exist suggests impact is minimal, and reduced 90% by standing 30cm away from where the mechanics are, which are mostly at back of stoves these days (30cm plus from where you stand). That said, I'll def put to the scientist
Sounds good Sarah. I don’t think any evidence would satisfy those who are determined to not accept it. Your post prompted me to check out electric bbq’s as well and they are pretty price comparable. One step at a time and we will get there.
Hi Sarah, thank you for this wonderful collaboration with the Climate Council and for fronting this campaign. I hope you don't get too much trolling but lurking on your instagram (I'm not much of a public commenter - this is my first here since subscribing) I see you already cop plenty! Though, I imagine (hope!) as a long time public figure you have a plethora of strategies to cope/ignore. By luck really, I live in a gas free home. It was too expensive to run the gas line to my house when I was renovating 12 years ago so went induction back then and and have an electric oven. However, I do have a gas (propane?) WeberQ BBQ on my back deck, which I love though use pretty sparingly. It has been a great back up for when I've lost power after storms and big weather events. Any recommendations here? PS While I've got solar panels I don't have the financial capacity just yet to invest in home battery storage and I have big environmental concerns around lithium ion batteries.
Thank you, Jess! I always think i get off lightly with trolls! Maybe I'm just so hardened I don't notice it anymore...BBQ issue noted. From a health POV, no issue, as it's outside. But I'll get more tangibles from our expert in the IG live next week. And, yes, lithium...but my understanding is there is great advances happening in non-rare earth metal batteries (using sodium, for instance)...it's all progressing, and at a clip!
From Fully Charged podcast :‘Lithium is one such ingredient that has dramatically increased in price in response to EV and stationary storage demand and according to Bloomberg, between 2021 and 2022 the cost of Lithium grew a staggering 280%. Luckily there are some pioneering companies exploring game changing alternatives to help diversify the end-to-end battery supply chain whilst reducing the impact on the environment.
Sheffield based Faradion is one such company who are investigating the viability of sodium, the metal found in common salt. As an abundant, cheap and easily recycled material – could it be a suitable replacement for Lithium?’
I sometimes housesit a friends off grid bush cabin and after reading your post a while ago, would only turn on the gas (large gas bottle outside) when I needed to cook. Its a small cabin so was concerned about leakage when I slept. A lot of similar off grid houses have gas and I wonder why that is when they also have solar. Is it because solar doesn't supply enough energy for hot plates? I think solar uses a lot of energy when there's a heating element? Curious if you know?
Night time cooking, I suspect, if they don't have battery. My understanding, induction uses very low electricity. As above, I'll put to our expert in the IG Live QnA
We live entirely off-grid and cook with gas in summer and wood in winter. Anything with a heating element pulls a lot of power, though induction pulls considerably less yes. But in a string of overcast/rainy days or at night/during winter that can still be problematic for many people like us who have a very small solar and battery system. People with the money can certainly opt to put in huge systems with big battery banks which can compensate for the power draw regardless of the weather. But there are many people living off-grid like our family who are simply cobbling together a home as they can afford to.
I've always had a preference for gas, which is perhaps something to do with whacking the pan on the grates in some cheffy pastiche, and yes that cooking on gas line (which I'd never thought about), but now building a house in an eco-focused development where gas isn't an option and we'll be 100% solar the blinkers have been lifted. Part financial, part environmental, part there is no choice, and part the fact that many chefs are now saying its vastly superior. I'm sure we'll look back in perhaps even a decade and wonder why we were so wedded to gas.
You would be a great spokesperson for an anti-gas ad. Love your honesty (part there is no choice) and your other reasons are sensible and noble. Who are these many chefs? That's who we need to be hearing from too.
I think the bigger influence won't necessarily be chefs. They influence me because of what I do, but I think the big influence will be the notable home cooks / writers.
good point!
For sure. I wasn't thinking chefs exclusively. A diverse group needs to be involved.
Thanks Carmel! See my earlier post ...a bunch of chefs there. But also Tetsuya and Neil Perry love induction, too.
Great! I feel that should be a starting point. Making induction cooking sexy, as you like to put it. Get these famous chefs (and others) extolling the virtues of induction cooking that make it utterly irresistible. I could even see a Master Chef episode where contestants cook the same meal, half use gas, half use induction.
I'm surprised there hasn't been any tabloid push back on the fact that you are being paid to push this message (unlike your I Quit Sugar gig) and in the context that Big Gas have been paying people to spread these lies. I'm not suggesting you don't get paid, I'm just seeing a weak point if you're comparing to the I Quit Sugar campaign.
Also, as you are a renter, about to be a European renter, would love to hear your personal commitment to quiting gas (apologies if you've already addressed this elsewhere).
I think the hardest thing in persuading people to step away from the flame is that humans are deeply attracted to and soothed by flames of all types - candles, wood burners, open fires. And there's something deeply comforting when those quick little clicking sounds on your stove top suddenly burst into a blue flame. The older you are the more attached you'll probably be to your gas stove top, if that's what you've always used. I'm guessing some boomers are going to find this a bit challenging. And so they should.
Love this campaign. The time is right. it will ruffle feathers.
Yup, we pitched to Masterchef to do exactly that! Declined...
Re the being paid bit....I'd challenge anyone to go at me on this. One argt I'd put forward is that this is my campaign and product (with the Climate Council). I'm not plugging a third party's interest. This is what I do. Everyone knows my interests and can challenge me on it. The Daily Tele today did a REALLY real and balanced write-up. And I just did 3AW...they tried to "get me" on a few things...but it was all pretty balanced.
Thanks for the clarity Sarah. Just saw you on the socials explaining your personal commitment too. Hope this really takes off.
Music to my ears!
Added, at the moment if the gas bottle is empty I have to drive to the servo to replace. A round trip of 45mins. So it's a big 'ol boon to the fossil fuel industry just to put the coffee on.
Hey Sarah, signed the open letter, well done you for adding your weight to the battle.
On an IG post of yours I saw someone say induction was a health issue as well - pacemakers, electro-magnetic waves etc etc. Could you comment? I am conscious of turning off phones at night, not having tv’s in bed room etc. However always good to surface criticisms and meet them head on.
Cheers Mark
Hey, we'll cover in the IG live (which I'll share in feed) with one of the scientists from the CC...but short answer is that the science on all this is incredibly weak and the science that does exist suggests impact is minimal, and reduced 90% by standing 30cm away from where the mechanics are, which are mostly at back of stoves these days (30cm plus from where you stand). That said, I'll def put to the scientist
Sounds good Sarah. I don’t think any evidence would satisfy those who are determined to not accept it. Your post prompted me to check out electric bbq’s as well and they are pretty price comparable. One step at a time and we will get there.
Hi Sarah, thank you for this wonderful collaboration with the Climate Council and for fronting this campaign. I hope you don't get too much trolling but lurking on your instagram (I'm not much of a public commenter - this is my first here since subscribing) I see you already cop plenty! Though, I imagine (hope!) as a long time public figure you have a plethora of strategies to cope/ignore. By luck really, I live in a gas free home. It was too expensive to run the gas line to my house when I was renovating 12 years ago so went induction back then and and have an electric oven. However, I do have a gas (propane?) WeberQ BBQ on my back deck, which I love though use pretty sparingly. It has been a great back up for when I've lost power after storms and big weather events. Any recommendations here? PS While I've got solar panels I don't have the financial capacity just yet to invest in home battery storage and I have big environmental concerns around lithium ion batteries.
Thank you, Jess! I always think i get off lightly with trolls! Maybe I'm just so hardened I don't notice it anymore...BBQ issue noted. From a health POV, no issue, as it's outside. But I'll get more tangibles from our expert in the IG live next week. And, yes, lithium...but my understanding is there is great advances happening in non-rare earth metal batteries (using sodium, for instance)...it's all progressing, and at a clip!
Correct.
From Fully Charged podcast :‘Lithium is one such ingredient that has dramatically increased in price in response to EV and stationary storage demand and according to Bloomberg, between 2021 and 2022 the cost of Lithium grew a staggering 280%. Luckily there are some pioneering companies exploring game changing alternatives to help diversify the end-to-end battery supply chain whilst reducing the impact on the environment.
Sheffield based Faradion is one such company who are investigating the viability of sodium, the metal found in common salt. As an abundant, cheap and easily recycled material – could it be a suitable replacement for Lithium?’
I sometimes housesit a friends off grid bush cabin and after reading your post a while ago, would only turn on the gas (large gas bottle outside) when I needed to cook. Its a small cabin so was concerned about leakage when I slept. A lot of similar off grid houses have gas and I wonder why that is when they also have solar. Is it because solar doesn't supply enough energy for hot plates? I think solar uses a lot of energy when there's a heating element? Curious if you know?
Night time cooking, I suspect, if they don't have battery. My understanding, induction uses very low electricity. As above, I'll put to our expert in the IG Live QnA
We live entirely off-grid and cook with gas in summer and wood in winter. Anything with a heating element pulls a lot of power, though induction pulls considerably less yes. But in a string of overcast/rainy days or at night/during winter that can still be problematic for many people like us who have a very small solar and battery system. People with the money can certainly opt to put in huge systems with big battery banks which can compensate for the power draw regardless of the weather. But there are many people living off-grid like our family who are simply cobbling together a home as they can afford to.
According to Mick Jagger, Jumping Jack Flash is a gas, gas, gas. Let's make our future sustainable and gas free.