Katharine Hayhoe says our climate theory of change was always broken

This is a broader story about climate communication and corporate strategy, not a specific home energy program, so there isn't a direct action tied to it for your house. But the ideas behind it are worth knowing.

Climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe has argued for years that scary climate news alone doesn't push people or companies to act. Her go-to example is Canada, which had its worst wildfire season on record in 2023. Many expected the following election to become a referendum on climate policy. Instead, voters elected a leader who campaigned on scrapping the consumer carbon tax. Hayhoe's read: when a disaster feels huge and unsolvable, people tend to feel overwhelmed and disengage rather than take action, whether that's a household or a corporate board.

Her point is that effective messaging needs three things: understanding what's happening, a reason it matters to things you already care about, and a real, doable next step. She thinks most climate messaging, including from companies, stops after piling on alarming facts without offering that achievable next move. She also argues that being upfront about personal values builds more trust than pretending to be a neutral messenger.

For homeowners, none of this changes any rebate, deadline, or technology available today. It's more a reminder that feeling overwhelmed by climate news is common, and that the more useful mindset tends to be smaller, concrete steps rather than waiting for the "big enough" disaster to spur action.