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Downtown Pittsburgh seen through smoke from Canadian wildfires in late June.
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Erica Smithwick: A practical, financially helpful way to fight climate change

Benjamin B. Braun/Post-Gazette

Erica Smithwick: A practical, financially helpful way to fight climate change

This summer, Pennsylvanians across the state were forced to endure some of the most dangerous levels of air pollution we’ve seen in decades. Smoke from the Canadian wildfires lingered in our communities for days, causing schools to shut down, suspending outdoor activities, and bringing our normal everyday lives to a halt. Make no mistake — this is just a taste of the future our children will inherit if we don’t act urgently on climate change.

While wildfires are nothing new to our natural environment — certain kinds of ecosystems actually depend on wildfires to allow animals and plants to flourish — the wildfires we’ve seen lately are becoming larger and more intense. Study after study shows that climate change is creating hotter, drier conditions that allow wildfires to spread uncontrollably.

These infernos and the toxic pollutants they release will only continue to harm our neighborhoods and children’s health if we don’t do more to fight climate change. Fortunately, there’s one tool every Pennsylvanian household can utilize to make a real difference. I’m talking, of course, about a heat pump.

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Moving heat around

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Most people know about solar panels and electric cars, but heat pumps sadly haven’t quite broken into the mainstream yet. But despite its clear marketing problem, a heat pump is something every Pennsylvanian invested in safeguarding the planet for future generations should know about.

Simply put, a heat pump is an electric device fixed to the side of your house that moves warm air into your home when it’s cold outside, and out of your home when it’s hot. Instead of emitting harmful, heat-trapping gasses into the air like ordinary furnaces and air conditioners do, heat pumps use heat that’s already there, in the air or in the ground.

Moving heat around is a lot less energy-intensive than producing it, so a heat pump is significantly more efficient than HVAC systems that rely on dirty energy. Call it a clean energy heater and cooler, a green temperature controller, or whatever you want — just know that this device has the potential to slash your home energy bill by up to 40% while reducing your home’s heat-trapping emissions.

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Heat pumps are both a pocketbook issue and a planet Earth issue. I am a member of Science Moms, a group of climate scientist moms who encourage other moms to fight climate change, and who look at the practical intersection of climate change and basic life issues.

Compared to the energy my family was using in our old house with electric baseboard heat, the heat pump in our new home has provided us with noticeable savings — we have more home to heat but still a cheaper electric bill. And I love that I barely have to adjust the temperature and I’m never too hot or too cold.

At a time when two-thirds of Pennsylvania homes rely on fossil fuels burned at the home for heating — more than double the number that uses electric — and fuel prices continue to be extremely volatile, it’s more important than ever for residents to start exploring alternative ways to heat their homes and encourage their friends, neighbors, and family members to do the same.

Investing in our kids

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Fortunately, with last year’s federal clean energy laws, it became easier to get a heat pump. The federal rebate for a heat pump will cover up to 30% of the costs (up to $2,000) to purchase and install one. This is on top of state clean energy discounts available exclusively to Pennsylvanians.

While the cost of a heat pump, even with government discounts, is not insignificant, it’s important to look at not just what you’ll pay upfront, but what you’ll save down the line. According to the Department of Energy, switching to a heat pump can save a household up to $1,000 per year, and it will also insulate you from fluctuating fossil fuel prices.

The economic potential of a clean energy transition is enormous, as heat pumps specifically are expected to soar in demand. Lastly, Pennsylvanians have the option to choose who supplies their home’s power, and a quick search can tell you if there’s a cleaner, cheaper energy source you can switch to.

It’s never been easier to invest in tools like heat pumps. As climate change continues to harm our children in more dangerous ways — just like this month’s wildfires — it’s paramount to take advantage of the resources available to keep our kids safe. Their future depends on it.

Erica Smithwick is distinguished professor of geography at Penn State University, where she directs the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute. Information about Science Moms can be found here.

First Published: August 2, 2023, 9:30 a.m.

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Downtown Pittsburgh seen through smoke from Canadian wildfires in late June.  (Benjamin B. Braun/Post-Gazette)
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