Your utility bill is a behavior-change problem (and a benefits opportunity). Lizzy Kolar explains the Carbon Savings Account and why employees actually use it.

This episode is part of Any Job Can Be a Climate Job - a podcast exploring how people bring climate impact into everyday work, even in roles that aren't labeled 'climate.'

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Lizzy Kolar grew up in West Virginia, worked as an engineer, and became co-founder + CEO of Scope Zero. She shares how her experiences shaped a focus on everyday consumer behavior - because small changes, repeated at scale, add up to real impact.

We go deep on Scope Zero's Carbon Savings Account (CSA): a financial wellness benefit that reimburses employees for home technology and transportation upgrades (LEDs, power strips, low-flow fixtures, ENERGY STAR appliances, and more). Lizzy explains why this works even for people who aren't climate-motivated. When the incentives make sense, people opt in, learn how they're consuming, and shift their behavior at home and at work.

If you're an employee, you'll leave with a concrete next step to bring to HR. If you're a leader, you'll hear why "Scope 3, Category 7" (employee commute + work-from-home emissions) matters - and how a benefit can measure, report, and reduce it.

In this episode:

• Why Lizzy shifted from "clean energy" to everyday behavior change
• The Carbon Savings Account and how it's like a wellness benefit
• Why companies offer this: talent retention + automated Scope 3 reporting
• "Low-hanging fruit" upgrades (LEDs, power strips, low-flow fixtures)
• What "vampire loads" are and why unplugging matters
• How employees can pitch CSA internally

Who this is for:

• HR/Benefits leaders evaluating practical benefits
• Sustainability leaders tracking Scope 3 reductions
• Employees wanting to pitch new benefits
• Anyone reducing household costs through efficiency

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About Lizzy Kolar:Co-founder and CEO of Scope Zero. She holds a master's in sustainable design engineering from Stanford and a bachelor's in mechanical engineering from WVU. Former engineer at Ameresco designing energy and water efficiency upgrades for military base housing. She's leading Scope Zero's mission to reduce utility bills by $300B per year and co-created the podcast "It All Adds Up."

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Resources:

• Scope Zero - Lizzy's company
• DOE standby power guide
• Rewiring America calculator
• The Conundrum (book)
• "It All Adds Up" podcast
• Lizzy on LinkedIn

Disclaimer: This episode is for informational purposes only. Views are the guest's own, not professional advice.

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🎙 Credits:Produced & Hosted by Louisa HenryEdited by Alex LeffMusic by Run Riot RunLogo by Cassidy Frost