Which is better for the environment -- electric or gas appliances?

Question

For example, stoves and clothes dryers.

Answer 1

Depends on the appliance.  If its purpose is to produce heat (stove, water heater or clothes dryer) gas is best because an electric unit will use 2-3 times as much fuel.  This is because thermal generating stations lose 60-70% of the fuel energy in the process of converting it to electricity.

Answer 2

Depends on where you live and where your power comes from.

Electric is better in countries like France with sane energy policies (~80% nuclear) but in countries that use a lot of coal to generate electricity using natural gas directly may be better for the environment (though it is a bit more dangerous than electricity).

Answer 3

DUH! i'm 12 and I know the answer to that. Do you not live in the real world where gas is almost  5 dollars a gallon.

SAVE FOSSIL FUELS. USE ELECTRICITY.

Answer 4

Electric in my opinion becasue its less in demand then gas.

Answer 5

Simplicity: Most power plants run on a simple concept (most but not all).  They burn something to consume  energy, That energy is normally use in a spinning motion. That spinning motion is used to create electricity.

Now the choice between a gas stove, and an electric, Well the gas stove burns the fuel itself to create the heat. In turn, An electric stove requires that power plant to burn the fuel, Some (external combustion plants) use the heat to create steam, others (internal combustion plants) use that heat to create up and down motion. The up and down motion, or steam is then mechanically converted to spinning motion. The spinning motion is the converted to electricity, the electricity then travels through miles of wires giving off heat and magnetism as it travels. That takes away from efficiency. Once the electricity reaches the stove, it must then be converted back to heat. All that conversion of the power takes away from the efficiency.

Now that 12 year old needs to get out of them pre-advanced classes because he hasn't learned anything from them. I recommend...oh kindergarten where they can learn how to be polite, and this time around actually try to learn something.

Edit: Oh and that $5 a gallon thing...well that's automotive fuel...a liquid source of energy commonly called gasoline. The gas that our cook stoves, and most gas powered power plants use is natural gas, an actual gas like the air around us. it consists mainly of methane, one of the most renewable sources of energy there is. Dumps release methane into the air, so does animal's p**p, and even human p**p. Wood chips degrading back into dirt give off methane, so do grass clippings, and many other things.

Answer 6

It really doesn't matter.  All energy comes from some source on the earth and then is transferred to another form of energy.

It's usually a personal preference.  I know people who love gas burners for cooking.  Personally I prefer electric.

Here's a good article on energy transfer and the environment:

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/PhilH...

Answer 7

It depends on the source, of your electricity. Natural gas seems to be better for the earth than getting your electricity from coal or some other sources. If you get your electricity from a renewable clean energy that would be best.

Answer 8

Generally a gas stove will use less energy than an electric one.

A clothesline is better than either a gas or electric dryer.

Answer 9

I prefer gas.  If the power goes out you can still use a gas stove.  This was great about 5 years ago when large parts of the country was without power for up to a week.

Either way its coming from fossil fuels.  Your electricity comes from a coal or some type of oil/gas power plant most likely.  Gas comes from the same place.