You would be hard-pressed, we believe, to find a homeowner in Oak Park who did not believe, likely with a passion, that climate change is real and that humans are fueling this catastrophe.
Most villagers also buy in, we believe, to the reality that changes each individual makes in their own lives, their own choices will collectively have an impact. So whether that is composting, recycling, buying an EV, or leaving their leaves on the ground, most villagers agree they have a role to play.
That said, we’re sure the average Oak Park homeowner is also befuddled and overwhelmed when it comes to making a plan that will make their own homes a positive contributor to the village’s overarching goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2030.
People in older homes, and that’s most of us, want to do good when it is time to replace windows, add solar panels, change out their HVAC and their water heater, or any of the other myriad opportunities to do better for the Earth.
But it is complicated. Few of us are experts. And we all have pragmatic concerns about costs and priorities.
One of the most innovative efforts out of the Oak Park Climate Action Network, a volunteer group, is to provide one-on-one climate coaching with homeowners. This might be a 30-minute phone call or providing referrals to contractors for a specific project.
Derek Eder, a leader of OPCAN, allows that he couldn’t install a heat pump to save his life but, he says, “I know who those contractors are. I know what they can do. I know what it costs. I know some of the steps, as a homeowner, you have to go through to do it.” What the volunteer coaches can do, he says, is get well-intentioned homeowners “unstuck” in reaching their climate-related goals. Among the topics a climate coach can explain is where to go for existing grants, tax credits and rebates which a homeowner can tap if they know where to look.
Now OPCAN has gone to Oak Park’s village board asking for its help in growing its communication, education and outreach efforts, which support the ambitious village-adopted Climate Ready Oak Park plan.
This program launched in spring 2024. It already has 17 coaches at the ready and has received 50 requests for advice. Now it needs more support from a village board that appears to be enthusiastic.
“What this program shows me,” said Trustee Lucia Robinson, “is that you guys are creating three-dimensional touchpoints. You’re talking to people, you’re giving them realistic, practical suggestions. … There’s no real substitute for having the type of energy and the grassroots effort that you guys bring to this.”
We agree.