Can We Really Afford to Fight Climate Change? A Story From EO Aaron

During one of my recent school visits, a student raised a concern I’ve heard many times before.

“We can’t afford to fight climate change,” they said. “It’s too hard on our economy. Oil is accessible—nobody can afford to put solar panels on their roof.”

I first responded to this by acknowledging that I appreciated the honest and completely fair comment. Many people feel caught between doing what’s best for the planet and what’s best for their wallets. The idea that protecting the environment hurts the economy has been repeated for decades. But in reality, that is not true.

The Real Cost of Inefficiency

I told the student, “I get this pushback all the time. The thing is, energy efficiency and the economy go hand in hand.”

Think about it: when we waste energy, we waste money. Every light left on, every drafty window, every idling appliance quietly drains dollars from our pockets. Improving efficiency — whether through better insulation, switching to LED bulbs, or simply unplugging devices — means using less energy to get the same results. All of that money saved stays in your pocket, and can be reinvested into renewable energy. Energy efficiency is not about asking people to spend more, it’s about helping them spend smarter.

Affordability vs. Accessibility

It’s true that not everyone can afford to install solar panels right now — and that’s okay. Climate action isn’t about one big purchase; it’s about thousands of small, consistent decisions that add up over time. In addition to that, the kind of changes we encourage students to make are absolutely free. Such as drying clothes on a clothesline, drying your hair with a towel, and walking when reasonable instead of driving.

When we talk about affordability, it’s important to remember that inaction also has a cost. Extreme weather, resource scarcity, and rising energy prices all impact the economy — often much more severely than the cost of prevention. Natural disasters make the news far too often. Those costs are far greater than we could ever imagine.

A Smarter Future

At Green Schools, we remind students that sustainability and prosperity are not competing goals. They’re two sides of the same coin. Every time we use less energy, we help ensure a future where communities can thrive — economically and environmentally.

So, can we afford to fight climate change?
The better question is: can we afford not to?