ITHACA, N.Y. — A new initiative from Tompkins County will offer free induction cooktops, a pot and a pan to residents with gas stoves in hopes of reducing indoor air pollution and curbing fossil fuels. The initiative is a collaborative effort between the county’s Department of Planning and Sustainability and Tompkins County Whole Health. The new stove tops and cookware will be offered through the county’s Health Neighborhoods Program, a state-funded effort to reduce housing-related injuries. To be eligible for the program, residents must have a gas stove and apply for a home visit from the Healthy Neighborhoods Program. Applicants are not required to dispose of their gas stoves to receive a new cooktop. During the visit, staff will teach residents how to address a variety of potential health hazards in their homes.Induction cooktops require special cookware to function properly, turning an electromagnetic current into heat without warming up the cooking surface. Unlike gas stoves, which release harmful compounds when used, this process makes induction cooktops more efficient and less harmful to human health. In some cases, gas stovetops can leak harmful compounds such as carbon monoxide, even when turned off.Non-magnetic cookware, like glass and copper pans, will not work on an induction burner. The program will provide applicants with a small magnet to check if their cookware will work on their new burner. The initiative is funded by a grant the county received through the state’s Clean Energy Communities Program, which provides resources to local municipalities looking to implement energy-efficient practices. To schedule a visit, residents can call or email the Healthy Neighborhood Program.The post New county clean energy initiative provides induction cooktops for free to reduce gas stove use appeared first on The Ithaca Voice.
