Reaching "net zero" is easy, cheap, and saves you thousands of dollars, not to mention, you can help save the planet. Here are some things I've done to reach net zero without sacrificing my standard-of-living. In fact, I've gone beyond net zero in an attempt to eliminate all my pollution. The easiest way to get started is to conserve energy. Don't use what you don't need. Turn things off. Unplug things. Buy low energy use products.
1) Electricity and heat are the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.
* choose an electric company that uses nuclear, solar, and/or wind generation
* insulate your house (Be careful not to over insulate. Indoor pollution is as large a health concern as outdoor pollution.
An air-tight house needs an air exchange system with a rigorous filter maintenance program.)
* zone heat. In the winter, keep your main temperature at 50 degrees Fahrenheit and only keep the
room you are occupying at a comfortable level (68 degrees). Wear warm clothes.
* an air to air heat exchanger and humidity exchanger (Note that humidity is as important as temperature.)
* plant shade trees and eliminate your need for central air
* plant windscreens, such as, evergreens
2) Food and land use is the second largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
* eat less meat
* reduce transportation of food by buying local
* grow your own garden and windowsill gardens
* plant trees, and more importantly, maintain old growth
* reduce impervious surfaces
3) Transportation is the third largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
* buy an EV or high MPG manual transmission (I get 50 MPG in a 4-wheel drive SUV with a 6 speed.)
* make fewer trips, take public transportation, avoid air travel
4) Invest in green technologies. Here are a few suggestions:
RYCEY -- Rolls Royce / advanced small modular nuclear reactors, green hydrogen and jet engines
LMT -- Lockheed Martin / GridStar Flow is an innovative redox flow battery
SSUMY -- Sumitomo Electric / redox flow batteries oxidation-reduction reaction of ions of vanadium
MAXN -- Maxeon Solar Technologies / designs and manufactures Maxeon and SunPower brand solar panels
NEP – Nextera Energy Partners / portfolio of contracted renewable generation assets consisting of wind and solar projects in North America
HDRO -- Defiance Next Gen H2 ETF / green hydrogen
BE -- Bloom Energy Corp / fuel cells, green hydrogen
BLDP -- Ballard Power Systems Inc / proton exchange membrane fuel cell, green hydrogen
TOSYY -- Toshiba Corp / green hydrogen, mini-nuclear plants
BP -- British energy / green hydrogen, solar, wind
BAESY -- BAE Systems / mini-nuclear development
SIEGY -- Siemens / wind, green hydrogen
SMR -- Nuscale Power / advanced small modular nuclear reactors (SMR)
LGO -- Largo / vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB)
GWH -- ESS Tech Inc / iron flow batteries
FREY -- FREYR Battery / semi-solid lithium-ion battery
QS -- QuantumScape / develops solid state lithium metal batteries
[Sidd added: I haven't been following publicly traded companies. But for long term bets SSUMI,TOSYY,SIEGY, and surprisingly one that's not on your list, AEP has some interesting prospects in renewable in spite of their history. The reason I like Sumitomo, Toshiba, and Siemens is that they are all companies with a long history of bringing large and complicated engineering to market... successfully.]
WARNING: an investor should become familiar with their rights and responsibilities as an owner PRIOR to investing.
This is a beginner-intermediate level climate and investor activist portfolio. Stocks are not listed in any particular order. Some of the best performing stocks are not listed because of their questionable environmental impact, business ethics, and country of operation (in particular lithium and cobalt mining.) They are discussed in the advanced portfolio.
The stocks are an educational tool to ownership of the climate crisis. An owner has the duty to understand and implement sustainable practices, human rights, and fiscal responsibility. Investors have particular rights as activists depending on the country of incorporation and operation. In the USA, common shareholders are granted six rights: voting power, ownership, the right to transfer ownership, dividends, the right to inspect corporate documents, and the right to sue for wrongful acts.
Everybody has the responsibility not to pollute.
Thank you. My life depends on it.