Home electrification and energy efficiency should always be considered top priority climate action strategies given their high-impact potential. The availability of incentives and rebate programs in this space are important – but residents actually utilizing those incentives is critical to match the urgency of the climate crisis. 

When creating and implementing climate action plans, we often see these issues from a 10,000-foot level, but it’s important to know how these rebate systems play out on the ground in order to address barriers that residents may face in accessing the benefits that electrification and efficiency can bring. 

This month’s blog is guest written by KLA’s Technology Director, Danielle Civitillo, who utilized local incentive programs to assess her home’s energy efficiency and install energy-efficient insulation as a renter in Massachusetts.

My Journey -- and Jeep's -- to Keep the Same Driving Vibe with Very Different Results

 By Danielle Civitillo, KLA's Director of Technology

When you make lifestyle choices and purchases that are considered “green,” it’s often painted as a “sacrifice.” My experience moving from a standard to a plug-in hybrid electric Jeep Wrangler tells a different story.

The process required patience -- it’s a decision that even seasoned journalists who write about things like EVs for a living apparently struggle with -- but the end result is that I’m still driving my coveted Jeep, and now I’m also saving money at the pump and doing my part (not just Earth Day but every day!) to save the planet.