Climate Point: Improving energy efficiency is just as important as green energy, studies show

Welcome to Climate Point, your weekly guide to climate, energy and the environment. I’m Erin Rode in Palm Springs, California.

Adding solar panels to your home or buying a new electric vehicle can fight climate change, but experts say using less energy is as essential as expanding green energy, Kyle Bagenstose reports for USA Today. 

It might get overlooked in the excitement over new technology and clean energy, but old-school energy conservation like swapping out light bulbs and insulating homes play an important role in addressing climate change. The International Renewable Energy Agency gives energy efficiency about equal weight with renewables — to meet international climate goals, the world needs to decrease overall energy use by 11% by 2050, while also supporting continued population growth, Bagenstose reports. 

Barriers to increasing energy efficiency include significant upfront investment costs, and the fact that unlike a new electric vehicle or solar panels, there isn’t an exciting new object to show off. 

“It isn’t sexy,” Jonathan Foley, executive director of nonprofit Project Drawdown told Bagenstose. 

Looking for joy? Fix, Grist’s solutions lab, has a full slate of stories related to joy and climate change. For many climate leaders, joy and rejuvenation are essential to counterbalance the stress, anxiety, and overall eco-dread that comes with fighting climate change, Marigo Farr writes for Grist. 

“I firmly believe that we all have something that we have lost and will lose in the climate crisis,” Rachael Baker, a climate activist who co-organized a 2019 global climate strike, told Farr. “And I think the best way and the most effective way to fight is with joy."

Some of these stories are only available to subscribers. Subscribe to The Desert Sun and get access to USA Today and more than 100 other news sites across the country.