My Personal Net-Zero Journey
Trying to Tread Lightly on Mother Earth
Initially posted in Nov 2021, updated in Nov 2022 and Nov 2023. Updates are posted after each sub-heading.
Existential Threat. Two words that hide a reality that is unfathomable to most, if not all of us. A world where a fraction of the current population of humans will exist, a world where 5 million deaths from COVID will feel like an aspiration, a world that we are doing little to avoid- since it is so far out…beyond the hustle of our daily lives. Over the past 2 years or so, I have retooled my life to focus singularly on climate change and other threats to planetary health, having realized that anything seen without the lens of climate change is a mirage. Your kids’ dreams- to remain so, your retirement savings- a story, the great healthcare discovery- soon to be toothless. The idea that we will be forced to enter a world of zero growth seems unfathomable to us, and yet, parts of the world have already entered that phase (Madagascar). Your wealth will only protect you for so long and is unlikely to protect your kids.
But all is not lost. Hope lies in the fact that regardless of how severe climate change becomes, humans will continue to exist, even if its only a few thousand of us growing coconuts and rice in the sunny beaches of Antarctica. Between the 8 billion of us today and the possibility of a few thousand remaining with unmitigated climate change, lies a broad range of possibilities, with each pound of emissions avoided shifting the needle to a more livable future. Of course, we need to change our systems, but you cannot have system change without individual change. Individual action plays a critical role in achieving structural change- it always has. It is with this idea that I am sharing the changes that I have made in the last year or so, and how I plan to be ‘net zero’ over the next couple of years. It’ll hopefully provide some ideas that you can use in your own lives. I live in Canada with my parents in India, and my plans encompass my family. I will detail them separately for India and Canada since conditions are quite different in the two countries. Changes will be described over two axes- energy systems and food systems.
India
Energy System
1) Installing Solar Panels (since Sept 2021)
https://www.luminousindia.com/solar-off-grid-combo-7-5-kva-bis-certified.html (the unit we installed)
The cost of rooftop solar has plummeted, to the point that it is CHEAPER to have your electricity supplied through rooftop solar, rather than the grid. We installed a 6 KW plant (15 panels of 395W each, batteries, and an inverter) at a cost of Rs. 3.6 lakhs, plus 1.05 lakhs for installation. This system will generate around Rs. 60,000 worth of electricity annually, reducing our annual electricity bill from Rs. 90,000 to Rs. 30,000. The system will pay for itself in about 8 years, while the panels have a warranty of 25 years or so. Other advantages of solar include no power cuts, no need for backup generators and a greater resilience than the grid to extreme weather.
The remaining Rs. 30,000 annual grid electricity costs largely reflect usage of air-conditioning, since we could not connect all air-conditioners to the current setup. We will monitor our usage from the grid, and depending on future electric purchases, will install additional solar capacity in 2022–23.
Nov 2022 update- The panels are working well. We initially wired it as panels <- battery <- grid, which was a mistake. It resulted in the grid constantly recharging the battery, and then the battery powering the house. We then changed it to panels <- grid<- battery, and it is now working optimally. The system continues to require optimization, mostly to ensure we are using the panels to their full capacity.
Nov 2023 update- The system is working well, and as electricity costs rise, our savings only increase.
2) Electric cooking (in transition)
Like most upper middle-class households, we use LPG (liquid petroleum gas) for cooking. LPG is a fossil fuel, largely imported in India from the Middle East, with a substantial carbon footprint. It is also increasingly expensive (Rs. 12,000 per year or so), and given the solar panel installation, transition to electric cooking will save us money.
We are using 1 induction cooktop, and as people get more familiar with it, we will buy a second induction cooktop and do away with the LPG stove entirely. Besides cost, advantages of induction cooktop include convenience (no longer changing LPG cylinders monthly), comfort (can switch on fan in kitchen while cooking as there is no flame), decreased pollution (compared to LPG) and a cooler environment (since the air surrounding the cooktop is not heated).
We bought a cooktop that cost Rs. 4,700- https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B00EDJIWFY/
Nov 2022 update- The induction cooktop is being used consistently now. Use was sparse initially, given the lack of familiarity. We are still using LPG, but are down to one stove-head from two. Hopefully, we will be able to transition off LPG completely by Nov 2023.
Nov 2023 update- Everyone in the household is now comfortable with induction cooking. It is especially beneficial in the summer, as there is no flame and one can turn on a fan in the kitchen while cooking. Still using LPG too, and plans to wean off that are still in the works.
3) Electric scooter (planned for 2022)
We will likely get the Ola scooter in 2022, which will cost around Rs. 1.2 lakhs. Deliveries have not yet started, so we’ll wait a little to make sure the product is as marketed. We currently have an internal combustion engine motorcycle that is used for short distance travel. We will sell this once we get the electric scooter.
Nov 2022 update- The Ola scooter appears to have some issues, and is not as fantastic as advertised. We are still looking at other companies that offer electric scooters, but may wait on this one, as my father’s use of his motorbike has declined significantly.
Nov 2023 update- No update. There is minimal scooter usage at the moment, so this is not a priority.
4) Electric car (planned for 2022–23)
We are planning to get Tata Tigor EV in 2022, which will cost around Rs. 12.5 lakhs. The vehicle has just been launched in 2021, so would prefer to watch it for some time. This is a lighter car (compared to its SUV compatriot- Tata Nexon EV), which makes it more energy-efficient, safer and a better choice for a world with limits. For a long time, the myth of SUVs being safer has been sold to consumers, despite data showing otherwise. Conserving energy is vital, and the idea of SUVs being ‘better’ is primarily a marketing trope (well documented in the literature). Once we get this, we will sell our existing internal combustion engine car.
Nov 2022 update- No change here, mostly due to inertia. Shows the challenge of making rapid changes, even at a household level.
Nov 2023 update- Car usage is minimal, since it’s mostly my parents who live in our house in India. We have therefore been postponing this financial investment to switch from ICE to electric, though hopefully in the next couple of years…
Caveat- Electric cooking, electric scooters and electric cars make more sense if one has access to renewable energy, such as through rooftop solar. Given that coal contributes around 65% to India’s electricity demand, using grid electricity to charge these make little sense. One would likely be better served focusing on other options for a sustainable lifestyle.
5) Cool Roofs (planned for 2022)
With worsening climate change, it is important to adapt even as we undertake mitigation measures. However, some measures can help with both adaptation as well as mitigation. Painting your roof white is one such measure. It sounds a little kooky, but has good data backing it up. White paint (of certain kinds) can serve as good reflectors, minimizing the amount of heat energy that enters the building envelope. This can lead to increased thermal comfort indoors and decrease cooling needs. Given that air-conditioning contributes as much as 50% of a wealthy family’s electricity consumption in India, this can decrease electricity consumption while increasing thermal comfort (particularly during heat waves).
https://www.amazon.in/EXCEL-CoolCoat-Reflective-Coating-Summer/dp/B01AXXV9DU/
Nov 2022 update- We painted 1/4th of our roof with Excel CoolCoat. This is an expensive paint, as it cost Rs. 8,000 to paint only 1/4th of the roof. Obviously, we did not note a significant change in thermal comfort, given that only a part of the roof was covered. Using limestone based paint may be a better idea, since it is cheaper and does not involve novel chemicals. However, it is less durable, and needs to be redone every 1–2 years. We will likely give it a try before the next summer in 2023.
Nov 2023 update- This plan has been dropped, since it did not seem to make much of a difference, and was too expensive for very uncertain benefit.
Food System
1) Biogas Plant (since July 2021)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FjRkk2ade0 (how Biogas works)
We bought the home Biogas plant in July 2021, at a cost of Rs. 50,000. This is only recommended if you have a garden or agricultural patch which can use fertilizer. About 5 kgs of kitchen waste is fed to the unit daily, which generates about 1 hour of biogas (1 stove) daily and organic fertilizer that can be used in our small agricultural patch. This allows us to decrease use of LPG, and allows us to maintain a healthy, organic, and circular agriculture field. The energy system is renewable and has zero net carbon emissions. It also allows us to fully utilize the energy potential of our organic waste. In addition, the agricultural field no longer needs any synthetic (largely fossil fuel made) fertilizers.
Nov 2022 update- Working great, no issues.
Nov 2023 update- Working great, no issues. The fertilizer quality is fantastic (its liquid, so spreads much better than solid fertilizer such as raw cow-dung) and the biogas output is steady.
2) Agriculture (since 2020)
We have a small agricultural field attached to our house, that we used as a waste dump for a substantial period. In 2019, my father planned to make a concrete warehouse here, that he could then rent out. We convinced him to expand on its agricultural potential, given the various health benefits that could be realized. Since then, we have planted a variety of fruits and vegetables in this garden, which are eaten by us as well as given to people associated with our household. The biodiversity in the garden has grown, and butterflies and birds can be regularly spotted. We practice conservation agriculture (no till, soil cover and crop rotations), and the biogas plant provides all our fertilizer needs.
Nov 2022 update- The productivity continues to grow. We have also noticed an array of small birds and butterflies flocking to the field, and nearby trees. The taste of the produce seems significantly better than what is available on the market. Given the biogas plant, we have not required any external inputs (fertilizers), and since we rely on a diverse set of crops- we have not required any pesticides yet.
Nov 2023 update- Productivity continues to grow. It’s amazing how much food a small piece of land can give if you provide it the right input (fertilizer from biogas plant), plant a diversity of crops and minimize soil disturbance (lots of earthworms in the soil).
Canada
Energy system
1) Switching from natural gas space/water heating to heat pumps (planned in 2022)
Canada Greener Homes Grant-
https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy-efficiency/homes/canada-greener-homes-grant/23441
Natural gas (Methane) is the energy source used for space and water in heating in our home, like in most of Canada (with the notable exception of Quebec, where it is largely electricity powered). We have applied for the Canada Greener Homes Grant, which gives $5000 for retrofitting homes to decrease their carbon footprint. We are planning to use this grant to partially offset the cost of switching to a heat pump (which runs on electricity). In Canada, 80% of residential energy consumption is used for space and water heating. By switching this to electricity, we can leverage clean energy, since >90% of Ontario’s energy supply is clean (primarily nuclear). The idea that nuclear energy is clean has been controversial in the past, but the choice is usually between fossil fuels and nuclear for grid powered electricity. Germany, for instance, phased out nuclear power plants post Fukushima, increasing the share of fossil fuels in their electricity mix. This has led to increased air pollution and more deaths from it. Nuclear energy is popular in Canada, and for good reason. Reason being the key word with climate change. This is a narrow ledge, and there is little room for costly mistakes.
Nov 2022 update- Installed two heat pumps in our primary home, one for water heating and the other for space heating. For space heating, we installed a hybrid heat pump, which means that our natural gas furnace stays on as a backup. This is highly convenient, as we have a back up heating plan (which we have not had to use so far), and the hybrid heat pump was also cheaper than if we had removed the existing furnace and installed a stand alone space heat pump.
The Canada Greener Homes grant was a disappointment. It covered only $1000 of the $6000 for the water heat pump. In addition, it did not cover the hybrid heat pump at all ($5500). It only covers a full space heat pump, which would have cost $14,000. Even assuming we got the full $4000 rebate- it would’ve still cost us more out of pocket than the hybrid heat pump. I think the program is poorly designed, and unlikely to meet its goals- which is a bummer. The heat pump rebates in the Inflation Reduction Act of the US (to be available from 2023) seem more robust, though only time will tell if that actually works better.
Nov 2023 update- Since the last update, we have been able to install 3 heat pumps (at two different rental properties). We also moved into a new house in Oct 23, which I hope to work on over the next year. We have three rental properties now in Canada, which are all powered by heat pumps (total of 7 heat pumps for space and water heating). That’s about 15 tons less CO2e emissions per year, compared to if the space and water heating was done on natural gas. Not to mention the operational cost savings, since the energy used by heat pumps is far less and also cheaper.
2) Electric car (planned for 2022–23)
Given that Ontario’s electricity is largely clean, it makes sense to skip the cost of installing solar panels and go straight for an electric car instead. We currently have two internal combustion engine cars, and ultimately hope to sell both and buy one electric car only. Electric cars are part of a sustainable lifestyle, but only to an extent, since the process of making and running them is resource and energy intensive. To decrease our car dependence, we have bought a bicycle that we are increasingly using. We try to buy and eat close to home and take public transport for longer trips (say to downtown Toronto). Ideally, we would live car free, but given the poor state of public transport in the Greater Toronto area, that is not possible at the moment.
We will buy either a Nissan Leaf Plus (CAD 42,000) or Chevrolet Bolt (CAD 41,000). We are waiting for elections in Ontario in mid-2022, after which we expect a reinstatement of the provincial rebate program. After conservatives came to power in Ontario in 2018, they removed the rebate. Currently, the federal government provides a rebate of $5,000, so we’d pay $36,000 for a Bolt. However, Quebec offers an additional rebate of $8,000, so the same car costs $28,000 for a person in Quebec- on par with an internal combustion engine car. Hopefully, the new provincial government in Ontario will be as ambitious as Quebec (Quebec currently accounts for most electric cars sold in Canada).
Nov 2022 update- We settled on Hyundai Kona, though neither the Hyundai Kona or Ioniq are available. We placed pre-orders for both, but it appears unlikely that they will be available soon. In addition, car dealers are hiking up prices given scarce supplies. We may buy a used electric car, if supply continues to be scarce.
Nov 2023 update- Finding a light electric car (NOT a SUV) has been tough. Everyone wants to make SUVs, which are harmful for the environment and people. Also, car dealers are still doing sketchy things, and the supply is backlogged. Hopefully, a smaller electric car that is affordable and available will happen in 2023 (please message me if you have suggestions).
3) Aiming for Zero-Waste (in transition)
Novel entities are an independent planetary boundary, like climate change (see figure below). They include the thousands of chemicals that we have synthesized over the past few decades, and whose adverse effects on human and environmental health is generally not well understood. Plastic is the most well known of these entities, but there are numerous others, some with well-known adverse effects on human and environmental health. Despite this knowledge, they continue to be widely used in daily goods (e.g., PFAS, phthalates).
To decrease use of these chemicals, and particularly plastics, we have changed a lot of our daily household goods. The below two websites are what I use to buy soap, shampoo, cleaning liquids and a host of other daily goods. Having studied some of these chemicals from an epidemiological perspective, I’m quite confident that we are underestimating their risks. I believe moving away from them will not only help the environment, but also my individual health.
https://www.tru.earth/Store/Tru-Earth-Eco-strips-Laundry-Detergent-FL-32
The goal, ultimately, is to live in a circular economy with zero waste. Thankfully, our municipality has a great compost and recycling program, though we still end up generating a lot of trash for the landfill. We are trying to continuously update our lifestyle with the goal of decreasing what goes to the landfill. As the availability of products and services that tread lightly on our planet increases, we will hopefully continue to decrease our waste generation and use of chemicals.
Nov 2022 update- Work in progress. We had a child this year, and had to identify new ways to minimize waste. For instance, cloth diapers that are exchanged on a weekly basis. These diapers are then washed in facilities, making them cleaner than we could make them in our measly home washing machines. It also leads to less rashes, and our child clearly prefers this over disposable plastic based diapers. We love it. https://www.wonderwear.ca/
In addition, we have been getting used clothes and goods for the new-born where feasible, and hope to inculcate a positive relationship with waste and the environment from an early age.
Nov 2023 update- Continue to identify small ways. In particular, focusing on getting used stuff from Facebook Marketplace, and shops such as Once Upon a Child. For new products, I prefer Ikea since it is one brand that I think is truly trying (and partly succeeding) to be sustainable.
4) Air Travel
Air travel is a significant source of our emissions. We now try to vacation close to home as much as possible, so that we can drive to our destination. I have decided not to attend a conference in person going forward if it means flying. It is also more convenient to attend virtually. We will have to fly to India at regular periods though, to meet family and for my work. In the next few years, there does not seem to be a workaround for these emissions, unfortunately.
Nov 2022 update- Only flew once since Nov 2021- to Boston to meet family. Wiggled out of flying for some conferences, and attended virtually.
Nov 2023 update- Flew to India in Jan-Feb 2023, stopped in Turkey on the way back since it was en-route. We also took four domestic flights while in India. We also flew to Boston to meet family in May 2023. Flying more than I prefer, but tough to skip on an annual trip to India- given we have some much work and family/friends there. Within Canada, we have mostly been to places that are a few hours away by car, and avoided flying.
Food system
1) Vegan Diet (since 2020)
Reducing meat and dairy consumption is one of the most impactful actions an individual can take. From a climate perspective, meat and dairy contribute about a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions. However, their largest impact is not on climate change, but other planetary boundaries. Land system change (largely deforestation), loss of biodiversity (driven substantially by deforestation and industrial agriculture), biogeochemical flows (nitrogen and phosphorous pollution, largely a result of growing food for animals) and freshwater use (meat and dairy consume a large share of freshwater, disproportionate to their caloric contribution) are largely driven by meat and dairy production. Not only that, but the health benefits of dairy have also been vastly overemphasized, as recent research has shown. Decreasing meat and energy consumption, particularly for wealthy people and nations, will provide substantial co-benefits for individual health.
Steffen, Will, et al. “Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet.” Science 347.6223 (2015). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb6wQtNjblk (there’s a Netflix movie on planetary boundaries, if interested in learning more about it)
Link between meat/dairy production and diseases such as COVID-19- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11606-020-05977-x
I have never eaten meat, but I was brought up on a dairy heavy diet. Over the past year, I have decreased my dairy consumption by 90%, with the residual consumption mostly in situations where it is challenging to avoid. Nutritional concerns regarding a vegan diet (such as B12 deficiency) are mostly outdated, as the substitutes (such as Yeast and plant-based milks) are usually fortified by B12 and other micronutrients. Still, myths and half-truths persist, in large part due to our piecemeal approach to food systems (obsession with isolating the role of individual nutrients on individual diseases, rather than seeing food from a holistic perspective). Somewhat surprisingly, my diet became healthier since my vegan journey began, as I sought plant-based alternatives to dairy (fruits/vegetables/whole grains/legumes/nuts/seeds) and discovered the vast diversity of plant-based foods. Not every person can (or needs to) go vegan, but every meal that includes more plants will be healthier for you and the planet. This is a great resource for plant-based food ideas, and was started by folks at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health-https://www.instagram.com/meatlessmonday/
In addition to a vegan diet, two other changes are worth attempting. Food waste is a substantial source of greenhouse gas emissions, besides being a moral failing in a world where so many go hungry. We have begun to use food more consciously (planning grocery shopping, refrigeration needs and meals) and our wastage of food has decreased substantially over the past year. It’s part of a conscious, mindful life. The second change is avoiding ultra-processed foods, which Michael Pollan would call ‘food-like substances.’ We stopped drinking canned drinks (such as diet coke), ‘nutrition’ bars and a host of other non-traditional foods. The health effects of these foods are largely unknown, but given their close association with industrial agriculture, fossil fuels and novel entities, it’s difficult to imagine we will learn something good about them with time. Also, their production and consumption cycle are environmentally unsustainable, despite claims of recycling (for instance, carbonated water in cans). The adage is ‘Reduce > Reuse > Recycle’ for a reason.
Nov 2022 update- Our residual consumption of dairy was usually when my wife and I were eating out. We have been able to cut down on this further, but it is tough finding places that serve vegan food. Dairy is ubiquitous, and we realised how tough it is to find places to eat out that are friendly to our preferences. But the search continues…I think we continue to do reasonably well on avoiding food waste and ultra-processed foods- though there is always room for improvement.
Nov 2023 update- My 15 month old daughter (unfortunately) loves yoghurt and cow milk- so that has increased our dairy consumption. My wife and I are doing quite well, and are now very accustomed to minimal dairy consumption (mostly when eating outside).
2) Community Supported Agriculture (planned for 2022)
An alternative to industrial agriculture is community supported agriculture (CSA). In a CSA, an agriculture farm gets pre-paid for the season’s produce from its members. In return, the members get a weekly share of the harvest. The arrangement makes small scale farming economically viable, while promoting a close, egalitarian relationship between the farmer and the consumer, unlike the exploitative relationship that exists with current food systems (for instance, the largest proportion of hungry people in the world are small scale farmers. Go Figure!). As a consumer, one gets access to fresh, healthy, local produce while allowing non-farmers to develop a healthy relationship with food. Visiting farmers’ markets is another way to realize some of these benefits. With COVID, these markets have suffered disruptions. In addition, we could not locate a CSA close to where we currently live. However, starting next year, we plan to visit a nearby Farmers’ market for a lot of our fruits and vegetables.
Nov 2022 update- Was not able to get to this in 2022, but we did start growing tomatoes, peppers and carrots in our backyard! Growing them made me realize how precious food is, and the amount of effort that goes into every single piece of food. We only grew a small amount of food, but learnt a LOT during the process!
Nov 2023 update- Started using a farmers market regularly in our area and …we love it! The produce is fresher/tastier and cheaper. The difference in quality compared to regular stores is obvious. And the experience is much better and more fun than a regular grocery trip.
Other updates for 2022- We needed to figure out how to invest money wisely going forward, and settled on real-estate. We bought an investment property that is rented out to two families. We changed the gas based water heater to a heat pump, and also installed a space heat pump in the top unit. We will install a second space heat pump, likely hybrid, in place of the gas furnace next year. There is a global shortfall in heat pump supply- hence the delay. I think this is a good way of making a return on investment, while helping transition buildings off fossil fuels. Next year, I hope to improve the insulation of this property to further save on energy costs. And when the time comes, I can install EV chargers to help the transition to electric vehicles for tenants.
Other updates for 2023- We bought a second rental property, and have also moved our primary residence. Over the next year, the plan is to install heat pumps in our new primary residence and over time, solar panels too. The rationale for solar panels is largely financial, since the cost savings over time are substantial. Also, it is a way of adapting to our changing environment, as electricity supply failure become more likely with increasing frequency/intensity of extreme weather events.
Even with all these changes, we will likely not be at net-zero. But we will be close, and healthier. Yes, a greener lifestyle has immense health benefits. Of course, better consumption is not enough to create a sustainable world. But we all have to consume, and by trying to do it well, one learns more of the forces of colonialism, slavery, capitalism and genocide that have bought the world to its knees. One can better advocate for a more just world when one’s own life practices are not contributing to injustice around the world.
The hope is that we continue to learn of ways to decrease our environmental footprint as we move along, and governmental help continues to expand. Because, ultimately, it is in our individual lives where all government efforts come home to roost. If a few of us wealthy folks can get to net-zero, we can create a path for others to follow- to a future which is more just and healthy than our current one.
To understand the nature of our ongoing planetary changes, and how we can contribute to a livable future, I have started an Instagram page where I post about these issues, in case you are interested in more-https://www.instagram.com/peopleforalivablefuture/
