By Hildur Palsdottir

Temperatures are soaring into dangerous triple digits in the U.S. this summer, with close to 130 degrees Fahrenheit reported in Death Valley, California this weekend. Alarmingly, the cost of summer cooling has grown steadily from an average of $476 in 2014 to a now predicted $719 from June through September, according to a recent report by Center for Energy Poverty and Climate and the National Energy Assistance Directors Association. 

A growing number of Americans are dealing with higher energy costs to cool their homes. This added financial burden is particularly hard on low-income families. People in poverty now face the impossible choice between feeding their families or cooling their homes that otherwise become dangerously hot. In many places, the homeless will have to depend on access to cooling shelters to survive this summer. 

It’s easy to feel powerless over a warming climate. But please know there are important steps you can make to improve energy affordability and curb the climate crisis at the same time. To prevent further warming we must reduce the emissions from fossil fuels that are contributing to climate change and raising the cost of living. 

Clean energy homes are less expensive to operate than homes powered by oil and gas and allow you to avoid unpleasant surprises from fluctuating gas and oil prices that are subject to geopolitical stressors. If you’re retrofitting, renovating or upgrading your home, look into heat pump technology and solar panels. For the moment, we can certainly rely on the sun.

If the cost or feasibility of installing residential solar panels is prohibitive, consider Community Distributed Generation, often called “community solar.” There are several options here on Long Island. Community solar makes clean energy available to both renters and homeowners without actually installing the panels on their roof. These large scale solar projects offer incremental savings, but most importantly your consciousness will be clear from pollution as you power your daily needs. You can find a list of community solar developers through the PSEG-Long Island website.

Ultimately electrification is the answer to our energy needs. A common argument I hear when I bring up electrification is that it isn’t realistic. Some say the grid can’t handle it. The answer to that is simple and two-fold. First, we’ve got to be smarter about the way we use (and waste) energy. A behavioral change will be required for us to accommodate the energy needs of a growing human population. And second, we must invest in and expand upon the electrification infrastructure, including transmission, battery storage solutions and charging stations. 

Most importantly, energy efficiency must accompany electrification. Virtually every reputable appliance manufacturer now offers energy saving models. If you’re replacing appliances look for the ENERGY STAR®  rating.  You can replace your gas appliances with electric options such as induction stoves, heat pump dryers, and heat pump water heaters. Your entire HVAC system can now be based entirely on either air source or ground source heat pumps. 

The best part about electrification is the cost savings inherent to a clean energy economy. It’s simply less costly to power your needs with renewables instead of fossil fuels. Once the investment is made in clean energy technology, operation is stable and you’ll be rewarded with cost savings on your monthly energy bill. Instead of being locked into the rising price of polluting gas and oil in a perpetually warming climate, you can rely on low cost operation of clean energy options that curb this crisis.

Here’s what you can do today to join the clean energy revolution: 

1. Get a FREEE home energy assessment. Licensed professionals inspect your home for gaps and leakage and suggest how to insulate and seal your home. 
2. Invest in programmable smart thermostats. You can purchase these through the PSEG-LI website. Set your air conditioner to be off when you’re away from the house.
3. Federal and state tax credits, deductions and rebates are available for qualifying home improvements. Consult with PSEG-LI for details on market rate improvements. Reach out to the Long Island Clean Energy Hub for free consultation, especially if you qualify for low-to-middle income support. 
4. Don’t be fooled. Natural gas is not clean energy. It is a fossil fuel. Every step of the way, from fracking to household use, natural gas pollutes the environment and contributes to warming. 
5. Purchase Electric Vehicle (EV) if you can. Recent advances in solid state batteries promise that the combustion engine is soon a relic of the past. The EV industry aims for true recyclability of their products. Municipalities need to invest in EV charging stations as the automobile industry is changing rapidly.
6. Make sure you invest in ENERGY STAR® appliances if you’re looking to replace old ones. ENERGY STAR refrigerators are up to 40% more efficient than older conventional models. Set the refrigerator temperatures at 35-38 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer temperature to 5 degrees Fahrenheit and refrain from excess opening and closing. 
7. ENERGY STAR® dishwashers use less energy and are more efficient than conventional models. Look for models that use less hot water. You can even save water compared to hand washing dishes. Same goes for your laundry, with ENERGY STAR® washing machines you’ll be happy with cold water wash. Air drying remains most energy efficient for drying your clothes, but I assure you the energy saving heat pump dryers are your next best bet. Efficiently operating at low temperatures they’re gentler on your clothes.

Our future depends on how we relate to the five Es: Energy, electrification, emissions, environment and elections. We need energy to power our needs. We must electrify everything to lower emissions. Our environment is in desperate need of leaders who care about reducing pollution. We must elect leaders who care about the environment.

We need access to more state and federal funding to create more energy-efficient homes, especially for the low income population. The Biden-Harris government is on the right track with the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 now investing in an equitable clean energy transition. We need even stronger motivation and investment for renewable energy to benefit all.