As part of Los Angeles’ goal to be carbon neutral by 2045, the City Council passed a motion banning residential and commercial gas appliances in new buildings and homes.
This ban would reduce carbon emissions, a move that helps combat climate change, reports Archinect.
This would also have an effect on the Los Angeles food industry, specifically Asian restaurants.
Asian restaurants typically use industrial woks, ovens and grills that require natural gas. This helps keep up the quality of their foods.
“The wok itself is really essential to Asian cuisine,” a Chinese restaurant owner said to Los Angeles Times. “By taking gas away, you’re telling us we cannot use woks anymore, essentially taking away our identity and heritage. It forces us to adapt to American culture.”
As a way to adhere to the ban, restaurants may invest in electric equipment as a replacement. Chefs may also have to adapt to new cooking techniques and practices in order to keep up the quality of the food.
According to the Real Deal, more than 50 cities and counties in the state of California already passed ordinances that require the construction of new buildings to be natural gas-free or to meet electrification building codes. Some cities include San Francisco and Santa Barbara.
The vote “puts us in line with climate leaders across the country,” Councilmember Nithya Raman, the policy’s lead author, told the Los Angeles Times.
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