Renewable energy sources (solar, wind, geothermal, hydro) are cleanest. Coal and oil are arguably the dirtiest, and it’s become clear that natural gas is just as bad. Whenever possible, you’re better off ditching fossil fuels and choosing cleaner sources, either on your property or through your city utility.

• Replace natural gas appliances. Use electric water heaters, furnaces, clothes dryers, and cooking ranges. Natural gas pipelines leak methane and sometimes explode. Fracking damages communities, pollutes water supplies, causes seismic activity, and leaks heat-trapping methane. Natural gas has gotten a pass for too long—it’s a fossil fuel, and we need to leave it in the ground.
• If you own your home, install solar panels. Every year, solar panels get more accessible, affordable, and efficient. Typically, home solar energy production is connected to the grid and you may be able to make money selling clean energy back to your local utility. If you want to have electricity during power outages or just want to be off-grid, in most cases you can attach a battery to store the solar energy you produce.
• Invest in community solar projects. In many communities, you can chip in for solar installations at public buildings such as community centers or schools and receive credit against your utility bill as those panels generate power.