Button Up!

Being a solid B+ student has been a part of my identity since middle school.?I was willing and able to put in the effort to get good grades but certainly not top grades.?Years ago, our local electric utility started sending out report cards about electricity consumption.?We usually rated about halfway between the average for my household group and the “most efficient neighbors” – in other words, a solid B performance.?Here at the World HQ of 52 Weeks, our furnace, hot water and stovetop are currently powered by natural gas.?The local gas company started sending out similar report cards this past fall.?Imagine my surprise upon receiving a solid F report card – we consume about 75% more gas than the average of similar households.?I was experiencing some serious cognitive dissonance, which is exactly the intent of those report cards.?Thus began the journey to take a closer look at our house.?As an aside, you may have noticed that some companies (and legislatures) are now branding natural gas as clean energy.?Greenwashing at its best (or worst)!?Natural gas is methane, plain and simple – a very potent greenhouse gas to emit or burn.?

In 2017, the National Resources Defense Council completed a major study and report entitled, “America’s Clean Energy Frontier: The Pathway to a Safer Climate Future.” One of the major conclusions in this report is that residential energy efficiency is the largest potential source of CO2 reduction.?Admittedly, insulation and weatherization are not very exciting or sexy things to write about, much less be concerned with.?However, the opportunity to make a significant impact on carbon emissions with simple current technology is big.?According to the EPA and a Boston University study, 90% of US homes are under-insulated.?Sure, new homes and buildings are (hopefully) built to code that specifies a high level of insulation and window grade.?But the vast majority of housing stock in the US needs some level of retrofitting.?Now is an excellent time to check your home’s energy efficiency because there are multiple incentives available.?

Let’s start with the simple stuff – detecting and fixing air leaks.?Doors, windows, outlets; all can be sources of leaks that reduce your heating efficiency.?Here’s a short, easy video on how to detect those leaks.?Sometimes the fix can be as simple as a rug under your front door or a dab of caulk next to a window.?For a more comprehensive look at your home, consider an energy audit.?This process can cost up to $400 but there are options to reduce that expense.?Check with your local utility; they may provide subsidies.?In a previous edition of 52 Weeks (EV: Is Now the Time?) we introduced the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).?Those benefits extend to home energy efficiency as well.?Tax credits are available for energy audits, insulation, door or window replacements.?

As an example, let’s go back to World HQ and cognitive dissonance.?Once recovered from the initial shock of getting an F, I attended a webinar by our local gas utility, Puget Sound Energy (PSE).?They offer many kinds of rebates to help people improve their score (i.e., make their homes more energy efficient).?Working with a PSE vetted contractor, we got a free assessment on the condition of our home.?It was not a full-blown energy audit, but the opportunities were obvious. ?World HQ might be best described as a “mutt.”?It was built around 1950.?Half of the house was remodeled by the previous owner in the early 90s.?Add to that an addition we built in 2009.?The old 1950 section has no insulation.?The remodeled section has “OK” insulation and the addition is up to code and the most warm cozy room in the house.?The entire crawl space under the house has no insulation below the floors and the duct work is only half insulated with plenty of air leakage.?So, their proposal included fixing ductwork, fully insulating the ducts and floors, and insulating the walls in the old section of the house.?PSE rebates paid for 32% of the cost.?Once I add on the tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act, our initial cost of $4800 dropped in half.?The PSE rebates were local to us.?You will need to do the homework to determine what kind of incentives, if any, your local utility provides in addition to the federal incentives within the IRA.?For many people, these kinds of expenses might be out of reach.?Take heart!?There are other programs such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and the Weatherization Assistance Program.?

OK climate change agents – if your interest is in collective action to support affordable housing, social justice and energy efficiency there are groups actively working in this space.?For instance, Energy Efficiency for All is a collection of 12 state coalitions building power to advance racial equity, and environmental and energy justice through healthy, energy-efficient, and affordable housing.?If you are a homeowner, what are you waiting for??There are so many supports in the world right now to help make your home more efficient and lower your carbon footprint.?Just start with a walk around your house, perhaps with a stick of incense, and make a checklist of some simple fixes.?It doesn’t have to happen all at once.?Just make something happen for your warmth and the greater good!

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A small follow up to last week’s edition on Food Waste; I was heartened to hear from subscriber (and sister) Jane Peterson that the State of Vermont now bans disposal of food waste in trash or landfill.?Way to go!

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For those in the Seattle area, Dianne Dickerson and friends are hosting an event this Saturday based on the Carbon Almanac aimed at connection, hope and action.?Check out this website for the details.?