Talking to Skeptics About Clean Energy
Some people will stop listening if you talk about climate change. But there are other arguments.
Cimate change provides a compelling reason to support clean energy. But that argument can be futile — or worse, counterproductive — when listeners don’t take climate change seriously or reject the idea altogether. Fortunately, there are other arguments that may better appeal to them.
You might begin by pointing out that clean energy isn’t just a liberal thing. Texas is #1 for wind power, #2 (and rising) for solar, and #3 for EVs.
Here are some talking points to follow up with:
- Clean energy investments create jobs and economic growth. About 3.5 million Americans now work in the renewable energy industry, and the number of jobs has been growing twice as fast in renewables as in other sectors of the economy. In 2024, $272 billion was invested across the U.S. clean energy sector. These are important American industries.
- Using clean energy can save money. Although they cost more up front, electric cars are cheaper in the long run because electricity is cheaper than gasoline, and electric vehicles have much lower maintenance costs. Consumer Reports found that EVs save the buyer $6000 to $10,000 over the life of the vehicle. Solar and wind power are now cheaper sources of electricity than coal or natural gas.
- We need to develop our clean energy industry to compete with China. Currently, China is crushing the U.S. in this arena. Global EV sales are over $500 billion. The solar panel market is over $250 billion. And both markets are expanding very quickly outside the U.S. We can’t afford to roll over and give up on a huge slice of the global economy.
Depending on your audience, you might also pull in some other arguments:
- Renewable energy helps cut air pollution and protect public health.
- Clean energy investments are booming in conservative areas more than liberal enclaves (states like Georgia and North Carolina).
- Even Trump says Tesla is a great company and bought an electric car for himself.
- Moving to renewables and EVs helps insulate our economy from unstable global energy markets.
In short: Make America Great Again with Clean Energy!