James’ Entry
Reflections from James
Below, James shares why he entered, what drove his family’s decisions and what it takes to fully transition a home off fossil fuels.
Why did you enter the Live Net Zero Household Challenge?
This challenge aligns with my goal of sharing stories of real people taking bold climate action – how we do it and what the challenges are. We’re not affiliated or sponsored or paid, and I hope people are informed and inspired by our example. Although the upfront costs of the retrofit and renovation were significant, we know we’re doing the right thing and it will all pay off, so having the opportunity to spread the word is reward enough.
What motivated you to take such large-scale action?
I was frustrated with being encouraged to reduce emissions by small amounts. In the face of the climate crisis, I figured we could do a lot better. Suddenly owning a beautiful heritage home, we were privileged to be in a position to make a big difference. Starting out with a fuel oil furnace and almost no insulation, I felt a lot of pressure to end our dependence on fossil fuels. We didn’t know how successful we would be, but we had to try.
With Hammond Forever House, we want to share what it’s like to live without fossil fuels. Our goal was to live net zero and we’re close, so close. Every day we share the story. Since we bought the house in 2007 we have made it larger and added 2 EVs, and this adds to the challenge. But we’re completely fossil fuel-free, including how we get around, and our power bill is less than $1000 per year. That’s less than it costs to drive ONE average gas car!
We’re doing this for our kids and grandkids and everyone on the planet. Fossil fuels are no longer needed or welcome. The future is renewable and the future is here now.
What other sustainable actions are part of your household?
We’ve been focused on our home for years, and that has included switching to electric transportation powered by solar panels. However, my wife and I have also been passionate about reducing our waste, and in Maple Ridge, which has been recycling for over 50 years, it’s possible to reduce our waste so that we don’t need a garbage pick-up service. In fact, we produce about two garbage cans per year of ‘landfill’.
Additionally, my wife runs a highly successful Repair Café program. Once a month, people bring their broken stuff to the Repair Cafe and our volunteers fix it for them for free.
Has sharing your story made a difference?
Yes. I have struggled to tell the Hammond Forever House story in a succinct way, and this entry forced me to do that. There has been a great response from our community to that post, and it has inspired me to keep sharing. We now hold informal meetings of the Maple Ridge Climate Hub in our house.