Carbon dioxide and monoxide have become a large topic issue in the United States in the last decade. Gasoline and Diesel cars produce a large amount of these greenhouse gases, which cause pollution in the air. On average a car emits 411 grams of Carbon Dioxide per mile driven. Though this number seems small, the average driver, in the U.S., drivers 11,400 miles per year. This is 4,685,400 grams of CO2 pollution per person in the United States! This is not anything new though. The United States is one of the most polluted Countries in the World. We know cars can cause pollution problem, but what about the other fuels which we burn?
In a study by the U.S Energy Information Administration in 2017, Diesel fuel and heating oil emit 161.3 pounds of CO2 per million Btu, while propane emits 139.0 pounds of CO2 per million Btu, and natural gas is 117.0 pounds of CO2 per million Btu. These are “cleaner” fuels but still, have a huge impact on the environment. Propane and natural gas are used for household heating and cooking. But, what about other cooking fuel? What about chafing fuels?
Many people do not realize the impact chafing fuels have on our environment. Based on a study of chafing fuels environmental impact done by Carbon Footprint LTD in 2015, each fuel used is about .7 kg of C02 emissions. This is a tiny about for only one fuel, but when each event requires 10-20 fuels, the event is having a massive impact on the environment. With over 166,000 caterers in the United States, using 10-20 fuels per event, and catering about 100 events per year on average, the impact of using chafing fuels is causing more pollution that anyone realizes. 116,864,000 kg of CO2 emissions in total for 1 year of catering. To put it into perspective, that is 280,082,761 miles driven in a gasoline car or 24,686 cars driven for a year. Chafing Fuels are hiding behind the word “green” because they are made with “clean” fuel, but the fuel being burned is impacting the environment in a massive way.
Honestly, there is no other way to put it, all types of burning fuels put off CO2. The CO2 produced is causing our planet a great impact. This added CO2 will impact the weather, the clean water supply, the food supply chain, and geographical changes. CO2 is bad for the environment, but the other Carbon gas, Carbon Monoxide can be life threating. CO is a gas produced from fuels such as gasoline from our cars and trucks, and from chafing fuels. In 1978, a high school student lost his life from the off put has of CO. Even though this was almost 30 years ago, the danger is still here. I want to suggest to everyone, STOP USING CHAFING FUELS! They are killing the environment and they are taking lives of young people. Stop before it is too late.