Oak Parkers interested in making their homes and properties more climate friendly are invited to access resources and technical support provided by fellow community members.
Oak Park’s neighborhood climate coaching initiative is a partnership between the Village and the volunteer group Oak Park Climate Action Network (OPCAN) that offers a peer-expert advisory service to help residents navigate various pathways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including home insulation and energy retrofits, heat pumps, rooftop and community solar, geothermal systems and electric vehicle (EV) adoption.
A wide range of resources are available at www.opcan.org, including a roadmap to electrification and in-depth information on cost estimates. The website also includes links to relevant financial incentives, all intended to serve renters, landlords and homeowners at all income levels.
Additionally, the OPCAN website serves as a portal to connect community members to individualized neighbor-to-neighbor climate coaching provided by residents with expertise and experience in a range of climate solutions, from home energy assessments to native gardening to EV charging.
Village officials say the majority of Oak Park’s greenhouse gas emissions come from the energy used to heat and cool homes and buildings in the community.
Reducing those emissions not only benefits the environment, it also makes homes and workplaces healthier and more comfortable, while lowering energy costs.
Although OPCAN is an organization that operates separately from the Village, and the Village does not endorse any specific contractors listed on OPCAN’s website, Village officials nonetheless support community members working together to share resources that can help reduce Oak Park’s collective carbon footprint.
For more information about the Village’s efforts related to environmental sustainability, contact sustainability@oak-park.us or call 708.358.5770.