Earth Week 2025: PennEnvironment donates induction cooktops to local tool-lending library

The Millvale Tool Library will now offer induction cooktops to community members for pollution-free cooking

PITTSBURGH, PA- In an effort to allow more Pittsburghers access to environmentally sound and pollution-free cooking, the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center donated two induction cooktops to the Millvale Tool Library this week as part of Earth Week 2025. 

The lightweight, portable cooktops are better for our planet and more energy efficient, which can save residents money on their energy bills.

To demonstrate the ease and efficiency of induction stovetops, local chef Christopher A. Galarza held a live cooking demonstration with the new cooktops at the Millvale Tool Library. Chef Galarza is a nationally recognized expert in electrification of commercial kitchens and author of Understanding the Green Industrial Revolution: An Interdisciplinary Look at the Hospitality Industry. He is Founder/CEO of Forward Dining Solutions and Co-Founder of EcoChef.

“Induction cooking is a better choice for our planet, our health, and our wallets,” said Wanda Wilson, the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center’s Western Pennsylvania Advocate. “Anyone considering making the switch can borrow a cooktop to try it out.”

Chef Chris Galarza from Forward Dining Solutions LLC joins Wanda Wilson from PennEnvironment at the Millvale Community Library for an induction cooktop demoPhoto by Garrick Schmitt | Used by permission

Induction stoves are a more sustainable alternative to traditional gas ranges because they don’t rely on methane, a greenhouse gas that’s 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide and contributes to global warming. 

As more and more of the power on the nation’s electricity grid comes from renewable energy sources like wind and solar power, it further enhances the benefits of powering our kitchen appliances with electricity versus gas. 

At the same time, induction appliances can be up to three times as efficient as their gas counterparts, and still 10% more efficient than electric appliances. This efficiency can lead to potential long-term energy savings on utility bills and faster cooking times. 

“Induction cooking is essential to me—both professionally and at home—because it offers unmatched precision, efficiency, and versatility. My mother has asthma, and every time she cooked on a gas stove, her symptoms would flare up,” said Chris Galarza, Pittsburgh Chef and  Writer. “I think it’s important that more people will get to try induction and experience the power of clean cooking by way of this addition to the tool library’s collection.”

Chef Chris Galarza joins PennEnvironment for an induction cooktop demoPhoto by TPIN | TPIN

At the same time, stovetops that run on gas have also been shown to dramatically increase indoor air pollution. A recent study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that over 12% of childhood asthma cases could be attributed to indoor gas stove use, and could be prevented by using an induction or electric stove instead. 

“We now know that living with a gas stove increases a child’s risk of asthma. Just baking a cake can pollute your home beyond EPA standards,” said Wilson. “What can we do to protect our children? Ventilate when cooking with a gas stove. Use an induction cooktop and a countertop electric oven instead of gas if you can.”

The PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center is hopeful that their donation to the Millvale Tool Library allows more Pittsburghers access to cleaner, healthier cooking methods–whether they’re replacing their gas burners with electricity, testing out induction before making the switch, or adding more cooktops to their kitchen if they’re busy hosting friends or family. 

“On behalf of the entire team at the Millvale Tool Library, I would like to thank PennEnvironment for their generous donation and for holding this event with us today,” said Bill Mocker, Program and Volunteer Coordinator, Millvale Tool Library. “Our members will now have the opportunity to use and try out induction cooktops in their homes as a green alternative to traditional electric and natural gas stoves.”

For more information on induction appliances, view our online resource.

###

The PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center is dedicated to protecting our air, water and open spaces. We work to protect the places we love, advance the environmental values we share, and win real results for our environment. For more information, visit www.pennenvironmentcenter.org.