I commend Maine’s Sen. Susan Collins for introducing new legislation last week that has important implications for air quality around the world. While Maine escaped the worst of the smoke from Canada’s recent wildfires, the headlines from much of the East Coast were a powerful reminder that we can’t take clean air for granted.

The bipartisan Clean Cooking Support Act recognizes the pressing need for cleaner, safer and more sustainable cooking practices, particularly in parts of the world where low-income families have few options for energy sources. Traditional cooking methods, such as the use of open fires and inefficient stoves, release hazardous pollutants into the air. This has severe health implications, especially for women and children, who spend substantial time in kitchens. But air pollution doesn’t stop at borders; soot from fires in Africa has been tracked as far as the Amazon. If only for the sake of our shared skies and climate, we need to help families everywhere access the energy they need to cook safely.

The Clean Cooking Support Act aims to address this widely overlooked issue by supporting the adoption of cleaner stoves and fuels; promoting research and development, and assisting vulnerable communities.

I encourage all Mainers to voice their support for this legislation. Mainers already navigate a complex energy landscape when it comes to heating our homes. We should be grateful to not worry in the same way about energy for cooking – and go beyond that by supporting efforts to provide clean cooking energy for all.

Katherine Manchester
Cumberland