From electric vehicles to induction cooking, community solar, and even geothermal heating and cooling, Barbara’s journey is one of thoughtful action and a drive to make things better. She’s spent the last several decades upgrading her home and making sustainable swaps for a more electric future, setting a powerful example of what one person can do to reduce fossil fuel use without sacrificing comfort or convenience.
Driving Toward Change: Electric Vehicles (EVs)
Barbara was an early EV adopter, signing up for her vehicle in 2016 and receiving it in 2018. She recently got a new EV, a Hyundai Ioniq 6, which fits into her lifestyle, whether it’s errands around town or road trips to visit her son in Maine. She shared her thoughts on making the switch, “When we were considering an EV purchase, we calculated how often we actually drove more than the car’s range in one day and recognized that, for infrequent longer trips, we wouldn’t drive that far without stopping anyway.” Even long-distance travel has become easy with EV charging stations becoming faster and more widespread. “When we drive to Maine in our EV, we don’t even finish our food before the car is done charging. I never have range anxiety.”
Another bonus she pointed out with her EV is the absence of maintenance costs. Barbara said, “In seven years with my old EV, maintenance consisted of rotating tires and replacing a $159 auxiliary battery. That was it.”
Groundbreaking Energy: Geothermal Heating & Cooling
Barbara’s house may be centuries old, but its heating and cooling system is modern and efficient. She installed geothermal in 2008 with the home building company she used to own, Herrontown Builders. “From 1999 on, our home building company installed only geothermal.” She shared that they installed a closed-loop system and additional benefits like “No ugly compressor outside, and your thermostat works just the same.”
The geothermal system continues to deliver consistent comfort. continues to deliver consistent comfort. “I’m very happy with it. You don’t notice a difference.” Learn more about Geothermal from other Princeton neighbors on the Princeton Green House Tours videos.
Sustainable Cooking
Barbara made the switch to induction cooking three years ago, and she hasn’t looked back. She shared, “I’m ridding my house of fossil fuels. I love it. I like to make pasta and, with induction cooking, I can bring a large pot of water to a boil in a few minutes.”
Not only is it efficient, but Barbara also used the transition as a chance to clear out her kitchen and give back. “In 2023, I got rid of a lot of stuff, including pots and pans that didn’t work with induction. I put them up on Freecycle.”
Community Solar
Barbara was also an early adopter of Community Solar, and she learned about it through the Sustainable Princeton newsletter. “I found out in 2021, but it was difficult to find a project. When I signed up, my project didn’t exist yet, but it came online that winter.”
Now it is easier to sign up with the NJ Board of Public Utilities and the Sustainable Jersey Community Solar Project Finder tool.
The billing is also simpler than when she first signed up because of consolidated billing. When she first enrolled, there were two separate bills, one from the Community Solar Subscriber Organization and the other from PSE&G. Now everything is combined on the regular PSE&G bill, and Barbara shared, “Now that I’m not paying separately, it’s easier.”
Take Action!
- Subscribe to a Community Solar project! Use the Community Solar Project Finder to find a project that serves your utility.
- Learn more about Geothermal and Induction Cooktops to see if it is the right option for you! Attend the Green House Tours to hear directly from neighbors in Princeton who have geothermal systems and induction cooktops.
- Take advantage of the EV and Home Tax Credits before they are gone! The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” eliminates popular federal home energy tax credits earlier than planned. This is bad news, but the good news is there’s still time to use these credits before they expire starting September 2025.
