The Frustration of Leading: One Friend’s Climate Journey
Yesterday, I had a conversation with a friend who’s deeply committed to the climate movement. He’s one of those people who’s already doing so much—someone who leads by example in nearly every way. He’s an active participant in his community, advocating for climate action and pushing for change.
He and his wife both drive electric vehicles. They have solar on their roof. He’s done the hard work—commissioning an energy audit on their new home and taking steps like upgrading insulation to reduce their energy use.
Yet, despite his leadership and unwavering commitment, he’s facing a deeply frustrating challenge.
After crunching the numbers, he realized that switching from his high-efficiency natural gas heating system to an electric heat pump—one of the most impactful changes he could make to decarbonize—simply doesn’t add up financially.
Even with federal and state rebates to offset some of the upfront costs, the ongoing energy expenses would still rise by 30%! For a family trying to act responsibly, it’s a disheartening reality: why invest in new equipment when it means committing to higher utility bills long-term?
This is someone who wants to do the right thing. He’s fully bought into the need for change. And yet, he doesn’t feel set up to fully succeed.
As we talked through his frustrations, I couldn’t help but identify with him. It’s a feeling that many leaders in clean technology share. Sometimes the barriers feel insurmountable. Sometimes, despite our best intentions, the rational choices we’re asked to make don’t align with the sustainable future we’re working toward.
But here’s what stood out: even in his frustration, he didn’t give up. Instead, we started exploring ways he could advocate for the systemic changes needed to make decarbonization more accessible—not just for himself, but for others, too.
We talked about:
Advocating for utility providers to offer cleaner, more affordable energy options.
Supporting efforts to build better interconnections for renewable energy like wind and hydro in his region.
Using his voice to push for action in the community - at schools and shared spaces - making it the clear and affordable choice.
Where we landed is this: he’s already on the leading edge. He’s done so much—installing EV chargers, insulating his home, advocating for change—and he should take pride in that. But he’s also recognizing that leadership isn’t just about doing what’s possible today; it’s about clearing the path for others to follow tomorrow.
If you’re in a similar position, I want you to know you’re not alone. I see you. And I want to hear your stories. Where have you made progress? Where are you stuck? What’s the next domino we need to knock down together to make a better, more sustainable future achievable for all?
Let’s keep pushing. Together, we can change the systems that hold us back and enable the future we know is possible.