Marinites have always had an environmental ethos when it comes to protecting our wild places. But today, environmentalism demands a concerted response to the threats of climate change.
A good place to start on the transition to a carbon-free lifestyle begins at home. Operation of our buildings account for over a third of our greenhouse-gas emissions.
The good news is that our electricity mix is becoming cleaner due to the expanding role played by solar and other renewable sources. But that leaves our gas appliances, mostly used for space and water heating, constituting 70% of a home’s energy use.
Burning natural gas in home and business appliances generates over a quarter of our greenhouse-gas emissions and creates significant amounts of indoor air pollution which have been linked to development of asthma in children. Hence the push for “building electrification.”
Several Bay Area cities already mandate that new homes and commercial buildings be all-electric. Increasingly progressive California building codes mandate high-efficiency appliances, windows and insulation for new construction. But that leaves the great majority of existing homes in need of efficiency upgrades if we are to meet our goals of carbon neutrality in the next decade.
Questions remain. Where should you begin to determine the most effective solutions for your particular home, your family and your budget? How should you position yourself to maximize available rebates?
A great place to start on the path towards healthier and environmentally friendly homes is the upcoming Marin Green Home Tour. This free online event set for Wednesday and Thursday, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., features eight-minute video tours of 10 Marin homes with practical ideas and real-world examples of new construction, remodels, retrofits and low-cost, low-tech “do it yourself” solutions.
A variety of home types will be represented, including townhomes, accessory dwelling units and multi-family properties located throughout Marin. Homeowners will highlight their energy and water-saving strategies, as well as upgrades and their use of recycled, repurposed and sustainable building materials. Each homeowner will host a brief Q&A with participants.
The program includes short presentations by experts and links to useful resources. Through these presentations, attendees will learn about the joys and benefits of induction cooking, upgrading appliances within the home’s existing electrical capacity, residential applications of heat pump technology and the array of resources and rebates that are available for both single-family and multi-unit properties in Marin.
This event is truly a local grassroots effort, organized by a coalition of community advocates, nonprofit organizations, local government, utilities and local businesses.
“The county is thrilled to support this event because it gives us all a chance to see real-life, local examples of green living,” said Mark Chhabria, who coordinates the Electrify Marin rebate program for the Marin County Sustainability Team. “Many of the featured homeowners have participated in the sustainability programs we promote, and they’ll share their firsthand experiences with the sustainable appliances and practices they’ve adopted.”
The tour is a fun and effective way to get inspired and speed the transition to a more sustainable future. And, with federal funding becoming available from the Inflation Reduction Act for energy efficiency upgrades and subsidies for conversion from gas to electric appliances, it’s a great time to start planning your home upgrades.
We’re fortunate to live in a community where so many of our neighbors have been early adopters of green building practices and technologies. This tour is an opportunity to learn from them.
To register for the free Marin Green Home Tour, sign up at: MarinGreenHomeTour.org.
Bob Brown and Pamela Reaves, of San Rafael, are Marin Green Home Tour Coordinating Committee members.
