In the midst of our climate crisis there is some hope and good news. Every day, more people become a part of the solution. Fueled by passion and enabled by IRA funding, volunteers and paid professionals from grassroots organizations are increasingly providing the support and know-how to help homeowners, renters, schools, places of worship, municipalities and businesses make the change to clean energy. With an increasing awareness that we are out of time to make this change, there is also an increasing awareness that the energy transition is, in very personal ways, a good thing. A great thing! Electric cars are more reliable and never need an oil change. Heatpumps, which replace both air-conditioners and furnaces, often mean less expensive and more comfortable heating, not to mention healthier homes. They now include window-mounted units that renters can purchase instead of clunky AC units that provide no heat. Induction stoves are a joy to cook on. Solar panels on your roof mean lower energy costs, and backup batteries mean the heat stays on during a power outage that will be more frequent with our increasingly unstable climate.
At the same time, rebates and incentives offered by Massachusetts and the Federal Government mean that your next heating system will be the cheapest ever.
This is how you, as an individual, can participate. Electrify everything! Have a plan to replace every fossil-fuel driven accessory in your life with an electric equivalent.
The success of this strategy of course relies on the electric grid becoming greener – but that is also happening!
If you want to know more, I recommend Saul Griffith’s book, Electrify.
As a newly minted Rewiring America electrification coach, I am compiling a list of resources. Some of these you may find useful in your own energy transition: https://websites.umass.edu/lgoldner/electrification-and-electric-coaching-resources/