We don't use Teflon or aluminum ether. We use cast iron or stainless steel, although some of the steel pans have aluminum bases for heat transfer, but the food doesn't touch the aluminum.
If you put cold oil in a hot pan, the food doesn't stick anyway. A chef we got to know in one of the Yacht Clubs we play frequently taught us that.
Plus the iron and steel pans last almost forever. Teflon does not. Keeping pans for a lifetime means less trash in the waste stream and less pollution from manufacturing new ones. Plus the Teflon and Aluminum are not supposedly good for your health. The manufacturing of Teflon pollutes the aquifers for huge areas around the plant. Depending on the aquifer, it could be larger than the state the plant is located in.
There are YouTube videos that show you how to use a few drops of water to see when the pan is hot enough,
I just think a few extra steps to be kind to our environment are worth it. And if I've erred on the side of conservation, it's better than erring on the side of pollution.
Insights and incites by Notes