ROCKVILLE, Md. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Are you already feeling the sizzle? Last summer was the hottest summer on record and experts believe families will feel the heat this summer as well! It’s not just uncomfortable; for many families, the rising temperatures are hitting hard their health and their wallets. That’s why it’s important for us all to look at what we can do, and what our communities can do to tackle these problems head on.
“It gets so hot, and it affects my health and my family’s health,” said 17-year-old Sophia.
“It’s like the heat makes people want to stay inside,” 16-year-old Vesna Yean told Ivanhoe.
But it’s not just the temperature that’s concerning young people.
“I see lack of awareness among the people that live in communities,” explained 15-year-old Khalil Garcia Jarden.
This understanding is driving ambitious action in Montgomery County, Maryland, which has set some of the most aggressive climate goals in the country.
“Our goals are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, climate change pollution 80 percent by 2027 and a hundred percent by 2035,” said Sarah Kogel Smucker, climate change officer for Montgomery County.
A key part of that plan involves revolutionizing their public transportation.
“We currently have 14 electric buses,” Montgomery County Chief of Fleet Management Calvin Jones told Ivanhoe.
Saving $200 per-fill up, the buses run off their own solar powered microgrid.
“It’s going to benefit climate change, but it also benefits the community in a lot of different ways from noise to local air pollution,” explained Smucker.
Montgomery county’s 86-step action also focuses on practical changes at home.
“There’s a lot of easy everyday things you can do in your home,” said Smucker.
This summer, keep your thermostat at 78 degrees. For every degree the thermostat is lowered, it costs up to 8% more in cooling costs. Replacing a dirty, clogged air filter can lower your air conditioner’s energy consumption by 15%. Replace five old bulbs with LEDs saves around $30 a year. Unplug any electronics you’re not using; this can save about 260 bucks annually. When it comes to your laundry, use cold water and save roughly $60 a year.
“Those everyday actions add up within a family lowering your electricity bills and they really add up in a community,” Smucker told Ivanhoe.
Montgomery County’s proactive approach shows that preparing for hotter summers and a changing climate doesn’t require drastic measures, but rather a commitment to practical solutions that can benefit both the environment and your family’s bottom line. Moreover, by involving children in these energy-saving habits now, families are equipping the next generation with the skills and awareness to be more resilient in the face of future environmental challenges.
Contributors to this news report include: Marsha Lewis, Executive Producer; Matt Goldschmidt, Videographer; and Bob Walko, Editor.
Produced by Child Trends News Service in partnership with Ivanhoe Broadcast News and funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
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Sources:
https://smartenergy.com/8-ways-to-lower-your-electricity-bill-this-summer/
https://www.constellation.com/energy-101/best-thermostat-types-and-settings.html
If this story or any other Ivanhoe story has impacted your life or prompted you or someone you know to seek or change treatments, please let us know by contacting Marjorie Bekaert Thomas at mthomas@ivanhoe.com
