Electrification 101

Rule 1: Don’t Burn Stuff

Last week, we introduced the Climate-Friendly Home and outlined how it can help people make a real difference as we face the climate crisis head-on. ICYMI—Elephant has 3 simple rules to achieving a climate-friendly home: 

1. Don’t burn stuff. 
2. Don’t buy energy made from burning stuff. 
3. Be efficient. 

Today, we’re digging into rule number 1: Don’t burn stuff. Read on to learn more about what that means, and what it looks like to adapt your home to this rule.

What “Don’t Burn Stuff” Means 

Humans have been burning stuff to power our lives and homes for half a million years. We burn stuff to stay warm. We burn stuff to cook our food. We burn stuff to power our vehicles.

Burning stuff produces fossil fuels which fuels global warming…you get the picture. 

Friends, it’s 2023! We’ve gotta stop burning stuff. Our ability to solve the climate crisis depends upon it.

What does that look like though? Put simply, we can replace every appliance in our home with something that doesn’t burn stuff. And the best part? We’re not asking you to make any trade-offs.

In every case, the modern electric version works even better than the crusty old fossil-fueled dinosaur that’s being replaced (harsh but true).

What “Don’t Burn Stuff” Looks Like in Your Home 

Ready for some great news? We already have all the solutions we need to make a burn-free home a reality. And the technology is not even all that new.

For instance, take heat pumps. The origins of today’s heat pump technology can be traced back to the 1800s. Millions have been sold all over the world, and they’re used in all climates–even very cold ones (think Norway, Netherlands, and Finland).

You might have heard that heat pumps are magic (and we concur). That’s because they work as both an air conditioning unit AND a heater. Flip a switch, and instead of burning gas to heat your home (à la your furnace), a heat pump  moves existing energy where you need it: into your home to heat it during the winter, and out of your home to cool it in the summer. And, they’re 3-5 times more efficient to boot.

But our “don’t burn stuff” rule goes beyond just switching to a heat pump. Let’s think about all the other things in your home that might burn stuff (in other words, anything that runs on gas right now). Here are some of the biggest culprits—and their burn-free swaps: 

Burns Stuff	Doesn’t Burn Stuff
Furnace	Heat pumps and mini-split heat pumps
Water heater	Heat pump water heater
Gas clothes dryer	Electric dryer or heat pump dryer
Cooktop and oven	Induction range
Gas/wood fireplace	Electric fireplace

“But wait!” you might say.  “So WHAT if I go all-electric? I know that the electricity I’m putting into these machines just comes from a coal plant half the time anyway. So why bother?” 

Well, THAT, folks, is a topic for next time. And don’t fret – there is a solution! In our next piece in this series, we’ll dig into the second rule of having a climate-friendly home: “Don’t use energy made from burning stuff.”

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Excited to start transitioning away from burning stuff and towards cleaner, climate-friendly technology? That’s great! If you’re unsure where to begin, we’ve got you covered with our tool, Your Electrification Roadmap®. Answer a few quick questions about your home and goals and, in five minutes or less, you’ll have a unique-to-you roadmap that shows you exactly where to start. 

Introducing the Climate-Friendly Home by Elephant Energy

We’re going to cut straight to the chase: The climate crisis is one of the biggest challenges facing our society, and the path to solving it is going to require excellence, innovation, and speed across a number of areas. And for most of us, many of the things that need to happen to solve climate change often feel really big and totally out of our control. Policies need to be changed. Industries need to adopt new technologies. There are giant science projects that have to be funded, tested, and scaled (we’re looking at you, DAC).

For the everyday person, it can feel impossible to do anything that really moves the needle. Sure, we can buy paper straws, recycle and compost, and support local farmers. But do these small actions truly make a difference in the grand scheme of things? Is there anything we can do that will actually help in time?  

We have good news: Yes! This sense that we can’t do anything impactful to help mitigate the climate crisis is, quite simply, untrue. The fact is, 34% of climate emissions stem directly from decisions we make around the kitchen table: from the cars we drive to the home appliances and systems we choose and the energy we purchase to power them.

Here at Elephant Energy, we noticed a lot of confusion around that last piece, and decided to use our expertise in climate, building science, and home comfort to deliver an accessible, clear solution.

Introducing the Climate-Friendly Home, brought to you by Elephant Energy

So, what’s a Climate-Friendly Home, you ask?

Climate-friendly homes are defined by three simple rules:

1. Don’t burn stuff.

2. Don’t use energy made from burning stuff.

3. Be efficient.

By following these three rules, homeowners can create homes with no fossil fuel emissions—in other words, they can do something that REALLY helps. We’ve all got the chance to be early adopters – taking action now allows us to set the precedent and be on the right side of history (while encouraging others to do the same!)

“But wait!” some homeowners might say. “Even following those three rules feels like a lot to tackle. Where do I even begin?” 

We get it. Making the shift to a climate-friendly home can feel overwhelming. Luckily, we created these rules to break the process down into achievable, understandable, simple steps—and we’re here to support you along the way. 

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Eager to dive into your journey toward a climate-friendly home? Our tool, Your Electrification Roadmap®, is the perfect place to start. It’s easy: answer a few quick questions about your home and goals, and get a unique-to-you roadmap that shows you exactly what to do (and when!).