Larissa Johnson, Solar, Maryland
Larissa Johnson is a residential energy manager at the Montgomery County Government, Department of Environmental Protection, and she lives in Maryland. She’s been in the industry for 11 years.
Why is clean energy important to you? I believe that energy is a human right - without access to electricity, we don't have the ability to cook, clean, and refrigerate our food. Without access to electricity, we aren't able to keep our homes at a comfortable temperature or keep them and our bodies clean. Because I believe that energy is a human right and that our current dominant sources of energy impact our climate in a negative way, clean energy is really important to me. I want everyone to be able to breathe without the risk of developing asthma (as I have). I want everyone to be able to afford their energy bills without significant fluctuations in cost. And I want everyone to be able to feel like their decisions and choices make a difference in the world. Everything I recommend others do, I have done myself including participating in a solar co-op to have solar panels installed on my roof.
What’s your proudest accomplishment in clean energy? My proudest accomplishment would be when I helped bring together over 10 jurisdictions in the DC metro area to have us all collectively promote Solar Co-ops at the same time. Starting in 2020, I worked with Solar United Neighbors of Maryland and the jurisdictions to create the Capital Area Solar Co-op: https://mygreenmontgomery.org/2021/capital-area-solar-co-op/ - this helped people go solar throughout the region and not just in my County.
When were you first introduced to clean energy? I was introduced to clean energy through my work at the Network for a Healthy California, I was working in conjunction with First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move Campaign where we were helping school plan vegetable gardens on their school grounds and I noticed that while we were trying to help kids eat healthy, the air that they were breathing was not healthy because of the proximity to coal fired power plants.
What did you do before entering clean energy? Before transitioning to clean energy work, I was in the field of public health. I worked for an organization called Network for a Healthy California where we focused on fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity integration, food security, and chronic disease prevention.
What is something you wish more people knew about your job? I wish more people knew about where our current energy comes from. People have become so disconnected from our energy sources that they take it for granted when they turn on a light. My job is not just a job but a way of life. Everything that I tell other people to do, I try to do. When I take my daily walk, I bring a bag and trash picker upper so that I can plog around the neighborhood. When I have to use my car, I only drive 2 days a week and I make sure that I do all of my errands during that time. When I leave a room, you best believe that the light is off and my thermostat is set at 68/78 degrees in the winter/summer.
Why should Congress invest in clean energy jobs, not fossil fuel jobs? For years, fossil fuel companies have received subsidies and funding for jobs and in an effort to create parity, they really should invest in clean energy. Clean energy is home grown, clean energy is better for our air, land, and water, and clean energy is something that we should be proud to create!