When Eric Laine of Binghamton, New York, bought his house 15 years ago, it ran almost entirely on fossil fuels.
Laine: “It had propane everything — propane heat, propane hot water, propane stove, propane dryer.”
Burning all that fuel was expensive.
Laine: “Propane is very expensive. The first January we lived here, we used 200 gallons of propane. Back then, that was about $500 worth of propane for a month.”
And beyond the cost, Laine says he was becoming increasingly concerned about climate change.
Laine: “It really became kind of a mission for me and my family to stop burning fossil fuels as much as possible.”
So over the years, he and his wife have upgraded their old propane appliances and equipment to efficient electric systems — including heat pumps for heating and cooling, a heat pump water heater, and an electric stove.
And they installed solar panels, so they’re generating clean electricity on-site.
Laine: “I have three boys and five grandchildren. And that’s really a motivating factor for myself and my wife is we’re thinking about the future. We’re trying to set an example and … do everything we can to address our environmental situation personally.”
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media / Rewiring America
We help millions of people understand climate change and what to do about it. Help us reach even more people like you.