Note: in the following we urge you to convert from methane (aka “Natural Gas”) to electricity. In Colorado the electric grid is quickly converting to renewable sources, so when you use electricity for power, you enter the new renewable economy as well as move away from producing the gases that are increasingly heating our world and making our weather more dangerous.

We urge everyone to go fully electric at every possible chance. Why not compromise with hybrid systems/vehicles? Because the earth is warming faster than anticipated, you can look around and see how much we have already lost. More warming will mean more struggle for the next generations. If you install a CO2 emitting gasoline car or furnace which will last maybe 20 years, you weigh future generations down with all the extra heating that will come with your decision.

Note: remember, one step at a time. 

Contents: (Click bolded section name to go directly to that section.)

  1. If you own a home and have an average income.
  2. If you rent.
  3. If you own a home and have an higher-than-average income.
  4. For Everyone.

A. If you have an average income:

  1. Set a goal to electrify your power (and stop using fossil fuels.)
  2. Get help. First you might get an “energy audit,” see if you can’t find one that is free or subsidized. They will help you understand your home’s needs regarding leaks and possible improvement in insulation. 
  3. Insulate and fix air leaks in your home. Turn the temperature down in the winter and up in the summer!
  4. Get educated. Consider how you will replace your methane-burning appliances. Read up on heat pumps, heat pump water heaters and electric ranges. Talk to neighbors who have made the switch.
  5. Get more help.  And then talk to three installers, get bids, and prioritize. The installers will check your electric panel and see if it can handle the new uses that you will want to do. If you need an upgrade to your panel, that comes first. You don’t have to do all these things at once, figure out how to do them step by step. In some states there are rebates. If you have already found rebates before talking to an installer, and then the installer doesn’t mention them, disqualify that person.
  6. If you use methane to heat your home, when it is time replace your furnace replace it with an electric heat pump. They are more efficient, they also will be your air conditioner, and they are powered by a much cleaner grid (right now about half of the electricity in Colorado comes from wind or solar panels). Do the same thing if your AC goes out. If your installer recommends a “hybrid electric/gas system”, look elsewhere. 
  7. When your methane water heater goes out, replace it with an electric heat pump water heater.
  8. Replace your gas stove with an electric range. There is the old sort of range that works fine, but, for some chef-like people, try the new “induction” ranges that are said to cook as well or better than methane. There is some evidence that getting methane ranges out of the house is better for indoor air quality.
  9. If you use gasoline for transportation, drive less, use public transportation if possible. Ride your bike and walk. If it is time for you to trade your car or truck, buy or lease an Electric Vehicle (EV). There are many great, tested EVs out there for almost every use. They offer a simply better, safer driving experience. You will have far less cost for fuel, even less cost for repair, and the initial price is coming down into par with comparable internal combustion vehicles.
  10. Fly less.
  11. That’s about it. Each of these changes will take some thought and planning, but once you make your change, you will be happy with the improvements in your life.
  12. Now please go to For Everyone.

B. If you rent:

  1. Set a goal to electrify your power (and stop using fossil fuels.)
  2. Have an energy audit done. It can help you understand the whole picture of your home’s energy use, comfort, and safety. You can often get them done for free. For example, free energy audits in Colorado are available through utility providers, the state’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), and local nonprofits for eligible residents, often including free energy-saving items like LED bulbs and smart thermostats. Key providers include Xcel Energy (free Home Energy Squad visits), Energy Smart Colorado, and regional organizations like the Energy Resource Center. 
  3. Educate yourself. Consider how methane-burning appliances might be replaced. Read up on heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, electric ranges and home EV charging. Talk to neighbors who have made the switch.
  4. Read the following things to do and make a plan with your landlord.
  5. Talk to your landlord about insulating and fixing air leaks. Turn the temperature down in the winter and up in the summer!
  6. If you use methane (aka Natural Gas) to heat your home, when it is time for your landlord to replace your furnace, talk to him/her about installing an electric heat pump. You will have to have researched them, so you know what to say. They are more efficient, they also will be your air conditioner, and they are powered by a much cleaner grid (right now about half of the electricity in Colorado comes from wind or solar panels). Also, if your AC goes out, this is also a good time for the Landlord to replace both the AC and the furnace with a heat pump. I suggest that you talk with your landlord before any issue arises so that when it is an emergency, the discussion has already happened.
  7. The same thing for the water heater. If it is methane now, help your landlord be prepared for when it goes out to replace it with an electric heat pump water heater.
  8. If you use gasoline for transportation, drive less, use public transportation if possible. If it is time for you to trade, buy or lease an Electric Vehicle. There are many great, tested EVs out there for almost every use. They offer a simply better, safer driving experience. You will have far less cost for fuel, even less cost for repair, and the initial price is coming down into par with comparable internal combustion vehicles. 
  9. If you live in a building, now is a good time to work with your neighbors on all these issues. You will want your landlord to supply 220V–240V charging (Level 2) charging, enough for the growth to 100% of all his/her renters’ vehicles to be EVs.
  10. That’s about it. Each of these changes will take some thought and planning, but once you make your change, you will be happy with the improvements in your life. 
  11. Now please go to For Everyone.

C. If you have a higher-than-average income:

  1. Set a goal to electrify your power (and stop using fossil fuels.)
  2. Have your home checked for leaks, drafty doors and windows, and insulation. Fix these things. 
  3. Call an electrician, there some who specialize in “electrification” of homes who have the expertise to do this right the first time.
    1. They will check your panel and upgrade if necessary.
    2. They will replace your furnace and AC with a heat pump system that fits your home.
    3. They will replace your water heater with an electric heat pump water heater.
    4. They will install any necessary charging for your EVs.
    5. You might want to consider putting up solar panels and pairing them with battery back-up. You help your area with grid stability. You get a return on your investment. And if the power goes out, you still have power in your batteries, refillable every time the sun is out.
  4. Replace your gasoline transportation with Electric Vehicles.
    1. There are many great, tested EVs out there for almost every use. 
    2. EVs offer a simply better, safer driving experience. And you can drive faster than any stock car. You will have far less cost for fuel, even less cost for repair, and the initial price is coming down into par with comparable internal combustion vehicles.
  5. Replace your gas stove with an electric range. There is the old sort of range that works fine, but, for some chef-like people, try the new “induction” ranges that are said to cook as well or better than methane. There is some evidence that getting methane ranges out of the house is better for indoor air quality.
  1. Fly less. (I’m sorry about this one. I imagine you that fly a lot. Once we get fossil-fuel-free air fuel into common use, we will all get the green light to fly to our heart’s content.) 
  2. That’s about it. Because you have the money, you can simply do these things today. You will feel better about your cleaner life and the world you are leaving to the kids.
  3. But, hey, if you really have money, consider helping some non-for-profit outfit to electrify their buildings or buy an EV for the staff member who drives all over town. And substantially donate to any group of folks working on everyone’s behalf. We recommend that you consider the groups listed in the Colorado Coalition for a Livable Climate website: https://colivableclimate.org/about-cclc/.
  4. Now please go to For Everyone.

D. For Everyone.

  1. Eat less meat, especially beef. It’s not just cow burps; it’s also the vast stretches of land used for their feed that should be returned to the wild to sequester carbon.
  2. Understand that ethanol (used in gasohol) takes up about as much land as the land used to grow cattle feed. Twenty-five years ago we thought it might be good for the environment; we were wrong. Now there is an entire institution making money that wants to keep it going, but ultimately ethanol hurts the climate. The vast stretches of land used to grow all that corn should be returned to the wild to sequester carbon.
  3. Educate yourself. This is the biggest crisis facing humanity that we humans have ever caused. We need educated people to give leadership to their friends and neighbors, the politicians and business leader. The science is there for even regular folks to understand; look it up if you need to. AND LOOK at SCIENCE! Act as soon as possible. Later is too late. Do it for the kids.
  4. Continue to recycle and buy less stuff. Avoid plastics when possible.
  5. Join a group to do political action. (In the end result, we all have to do our individual part, yet the political part is even bigger.) Here is a list from our member organizations: . Or you might even start one. 
  6. Contact your representatives. Local, state, and federal. Tell them how you feel about the collapse of the coral reefs, how smoke impacts your life and the lives of your family and friends, how concerned you are about food insecurity, and, if you are the sort who cares about this, what hotter, crazier weather is doing to other people across the globe. [[insert link to page on connecting with representatives.]]

If you would like to talk about any of this. If you have any sort of question we can either help you or find someone who can.

Email: M4TP@colivableclimate.org

If you do any or all of this, please email us at M4TP@colivableclimate.org Your progress is our payment!