First, it was no stoves. Next it could be no cooking at all. All for the climate. At least that's what it appears if you follow the logic of California...which we can't recommend.
That's because cooking releases volatile organic compounds that contribute to ozone pollution, according to NOAA researchers, UPI.com reports.
They found that “potent and often pungent volatile organic compounds given off from cooking food are now responsible for over a quarter of the ozone production from VOCs generated by human activity” in the Los Angeles basin.
The UPI report says cooking in Los Angeles generates as much ozone as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from fueled vehicles, the study found.
“We knew from our research that chemical compounds from cooking can make up an important fraction of VOCs present in urban air, but they were not well-represented in inventories or included in air quality models,” said NOAA research chemist Chelsea Stockwell. She noted that excluding them “may be a blind spot when it comes to urban ozone production.”
Ozone forms when VOCs and nitrogen oxides—primarily from vehicle emissions—undergo photochemical reactions.
While natural sources like trees contribute about half of all VOCs, human activities, including cooking, paints, pesticides, and adhesives, account for the rest. High ozone levels can be toxic to humans, animals, and plants.
But what's the point of preserving the ozone when we can't even cook a meal?
