To fight climate change, Washington city may ban heating homes with natural gas

[Elderberry]

Ice Age Now  January 7, 2020 by Robert

As a progressive-minded city, Bellingham, Washington, has long been looking to scale back its contribution to climate change. writes Mike Baker in the New York Times.

In recent years, city leaders have converted the streetlights to low-power LEDs, provided bikes for city employees and made plans to halt the burning of sewage solids.

Now, Bellingham is looking to do something that no other city has yet attempted: adopt a ban on all residential heating by natural gas, not only in new construction but also in existing homes and businesses.

Bellingham’s task force found that the average cost of installing an electric heat pump system was about $6,200 to $13,100 more than a gas furnace.

More: https://www.iceagenow.info/to-fight-climate-change-washington-city-may-ban-heating-homes-with-natural-gas/

[sneakypete]

You know what this means to me?

"Cheaper gas to heat our homes with for those of us that still live in America."

[mountaineer]

So an electric heat pump would be more environmentally conscious than clean natural gas? I had to do some research - it seems the state of Washington does generate quite a bit of hydroelectric power:

Most of Washington’s hydroelectric power is generated from eight of the state’s ten largest power plants on the Columbia and Snake Rivers, natural resources that have enabled the state to keep electricity prices among the lowest in the nation. Washington is a major electricity exporter, supplying electricity to several other states, including California. Natural gas, coal, and nuclear combined generate almost 25 percent of the state’s electricity. Non-hydroelectric renewables, primarily wind, wood and wood waste, combined contributes almost 5 percent.

source

Still, requiring people to retrofit homes is beyond extreme and not at all cost-efficient.

[musiclady]

So an electric heat pump would be more environmentally conscious than clean natural gas? I had to do some research - it seems the state of Washington does generate quite a bit of hydroelectric power:source

Still, requiring people to retrofit homes is beyond extreme and not at all cost-efficient.

Well, another thought is that these "leaders" want people who dare heat their homes with gas to freeze to death.

That's one way of getting rid of the opposition....   

[mountaineer]

Well, another thought is that these "leaders" want people who dare heat their homes with gas to freeze to death.

That's one way of getting rid of the opposition....   

Perhaps the city will provide taxpayer funds for the "right people" to retrofit their homes. The rest of the poor, cold, huddled masses can just freeze to death.

[musiclady]

Perhaps the city will provide taxpayer funds for the "right people" to retrofit their homes. The rest of the poor, cold, huddled masses can just freeze to death.

I wouldn't put it past them.....

These people are NUTS.