So you want help with your “climate smart” journey….

Happy Earth Day! It’s the perfect day to start working on your climate-smart plan and figure out what steps you might take over the rest of the year to reduce your household’s carbon footprint.

But let’s have a moment of honesty: this stuff can be hard and take a lot longer than you’d spend on a morning of tree planting or invasive plant removal. The main reason I started this website was to help make the process of switching to clean energy a bit easier and more understandable for normal people with plenty else on their plates. Still, a generic website can only do so much when it comes to figuring out your own options for reducing your climate footprint, and whether they’re actually affordable and impactful.

That’s especially true when it comes to home electrification, where you may be juggling considerations regarding your insulation, electric panel upgrades, utility rates, financing options, rebate programs, resale value, and of course your own comfort. With projects that may cost thousands of dollars, figuring out the right balance of all these factors is a high-stakes effort. So it’s no surprise that an emerging trend is for people interested in promoting clean energy homes to try to provide a helping hand to guide you along the way.

The good news is that there are getting to be more options in the category of home electrification “concierges” or “consultants” or “coaches,” or whatever term you might want to use for someone who can provide guidance as you try to navigate the world of HVAC contractors, solar installers, plumbers, electricians, and more. These range from for-profit businesses trying to monetize this type of customer service; to non-profits and utility programs supporting by philanthropic, ratepayer, or government funding; to grassroots volunteer efforts. (Full disclosure: I’m part of a group in the latter category here in Ohio.)

Although I’m not endorsing any particular one of these organizations, I thought it might be helpful to at least have a central clearinghouse to know what might exist in your neighborhood. So I’m introducing a new section on my Resources page: a list of whoever might be able to help you figure out some of the steps on your journey toward a climate-smart home, especially Step Two. I’m glad to get suggestions for additions since at this point it’s a somewhat sparse patchwork of options, and hopefully before we know it you’ll be able to find a home electrification helper wherever you may be.