Our Electrifying World is a series about how electrification is creating a more sustainable energy transition. It is sponsored by Rewiring America.
Electrification is a long game. It’s been a century since gas street lamps switched to light bulbs and steam-powered trains swapped their smokestacks for overhead wires. At the time, few of these changes were made with sustainability in mind. But every pivot away from coal-fired or gas-powered toward electrically charged has protected our future.
Today, we know exactly how impactful electrification is. Electric products are almost always more energy-efficient than those powered by fossil fuels. And because the US grid is decarbonizing at such a rapid clip — today, some 40 percent of all electricity generated in America is emissions-free — more than ever, plugging in is the fastest route to zeroing out your carbon footprint. This is why the National Resources Defense Council calls electrification “one of the best ways to help keep global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius.”
It’s also why induction stoves, electric vehicles and heat pumps are among the hottest new consumer goods. Hell, half the time you need to join a waitlist just to get one. It’s an exhilarating moment. We’re on the cusp of a wholesale energy transition that will transform our homes, protect our climate and come to reshape virtually every corner of our world.
Reasons to be Cheerful’s newest series puts that transformation front and center. Over the next 12 months, Our Electrifying World will explore how going electric is propelling us toward a decarbonized future. From the glee-filled seats of rechargeable school buses to the bustling kitchens of restaurants relinquishing gas, we’ll take you inside the energy transition that touches all of our lives.
This series is sponsored by Rewiring America. To learn more about our funder-supported content, read our Editorial Independence Policy.
