For much of the last decade, Generation Z has led the charge on climate activism. From organizing school walkouts to flooding social media with slogans like “There is no Planet B,” many young Americans grew up believing a green revolution was just around the corner. Pew Research shows that 43 percent of Gen Z supports phasing out oil, coal, and natural gas entirely. Climate change has consistently ranked as their top concern.
But now, as more Gen Zers enter the workforce, pay rent, and start families, their views are evolving. High utility bills, unreliable green energy, and an unstable job market are forcing a new perspective. A recent piece from The Epoch Times observed, “The kids are growing out of their Greta Thunberg era.” Many in this generation are beginning to realize that their daily lives, and their futures, still depend heavily on fossil fuels.
Economic Reality Hits Home
One of the main reasons for Gen Z’s changing attitude is the cost of energy. According to the Department of Energy, natural gas remains the cheapest residential energy source. In contrast, electricity is nearly four times more expensive. During cold months, homes heated with electricity paid about 75 percent more than those using gas. With nearly 40 percent of Gen Z reporting that their households have cut back on utilities due to high energy costs, the promise of green energy is starting to feel out of reach.
Dhaaruni Sreenivas, a 30-year-old millennial from Seattle, captured this reality: “My energy bill was crazy high, and now I don’t turn the lights on.” She supports nuclear energy and admits that fossil fuels remain dominant because “the alternatives aren’t as efficient or powerful.” Her experience is echoed by millions of young adults who simply cannot afford solar panels, electric vehicles, or expensive retrofits to make their homes more sustainable.
Even as Gen Z embraces sustainable lifestyles through thrifting, crafting, and other low-impact habits, many feel their individual efforts are being undercut by political decisions that favor fossil fuel expansion. As one young writer, Olabisi Omoniyi-Alake, wrote, “While young people are knitting sweaters and thrifting new clothes, our representatives in Congress are passing huge giveaways to the fossil fuel industry and attacks on sustainability.”
Fossil Fuels Still Power the Economy
Despite the rise of solar panels and wind turbines, fossil fuels remain the backbone of the American economy. Between 2015 and 2019, fossil fuels generated an average of $138 billion annually for local, state, and federal governments. In energy-rich states like Wyoming and North Dakota, fossil fuel revenues make up large portions of state budgets. Wyoming, for example, depends on fossil fuel income for about 65 percent of its budget.
These industries also fund higher education. Over the past decade, fossil fuel companies have donated more than $700 million to 27 colleges and universities. They create 32 million jobs nationwide and contribute over $900 billion in labor income. Many of these roles are increasingly high-tech and appealing to younger workers who seek meaningful careers with good pay.
Sam Raus, writing in The Epoch Times, pointed out that this new economic awareness is reshaping Gen Z’s outlook. “Most Gen Z and millennial voters simply can’t afford solar panels or electric vehicles. Purity politics and utopianism take a backseat to pocketbook issues.”
Energy Independence Is National Security
Fossil fuels are not just an economic necessity – they are a strategic asset. The U.S. achieved energy independence under the first Trump administration, producing more energy than it consumed for the first time since 1957. This reduced reliance on foreign oil suppliers and kept more money within the American economy.
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which holds hundreds of millions of barrels of crude oil, has played a critical role during past emergencies. During the Gulf War, Hurricane Katrina, and the Russia-Ukraine war, the U.S. released oil from the reserve to stabilize prices and support military operations.
Gen Z overwhelmingly supports an active U.S. role in world affairs. A full 65 percent of them see terrorism as a major threat. Maintaining energy independence supports that view. As one article noted, “The capacity to project power globally, which aligns with Gen Z’s policy preferences, depends heavily on secure access to fossil fuels.”
A Harsh Political Climate
Still, many young Americans feel betrayed by current policies. President Trump’s recently passed “Big Beautiful Bill” scaled back many of the green energy incentives established under previous administrations. It eliminated tax credits for renewable energy projects and removed methane emissions fees. Critics say it allows companies to bypass environmental reviews by paying for fast-track approvals.
Omoniyi-Alake wrote, “Unless it’s repealed, Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill will be a disaster for the planet—and my generation.” She expressed frustration that while young people are making sacrifices for the environment, lawmakers are “greenlighting massive polluters.”
There’s also deep concern about how science is being treated in the political process. The Guardian reported that Trump’s administration fired hundreds of scientists and defunded critical research programs. Naomi Oreskes, a historian of science at Harvard, said, “Trump’s actions are a patent attempt to roll back decades of environmental progress… part of a larger attempt to deny the credibility of environmental protection.”
Wealth Is the Missing Ingredient for Green Energy
One of the most overlooked truths about green energy is that it requires wealth. Clean energy infrastructure, like solar panels, wind farms, and electric vehicle charging stations, is expensive to build. And those costs are usually passed on to consumers. In states like California and New York, which have strong green energy mandates, electricity prices are 50 to 80 percent higher than the national average.
Ethan Watson, writing for Business Wire, argues that the best way to fund green innovation is to keep energy cheap. “Environmentalism is a privilege only a select few humans throughout history have been able to indulge in,” he writes. “Via fossil fuels, we have such a high baseline level of prosperity that we can invest in cleaner energy solutions.”
In his view, pulling back from fossil fuels too quickly could hurt the very people who care most about the environment. When families struggle to pay energy bills, climate concerns fade. A study in the Journal of Cleaner Production found that middle-class households under financial pressure tend to consume more polluting resources, not less.
Where does this leave Gen Z? Most now support a balanced energy strategy. According to multiple polls, two-thirds want fossil fuels included in the national portfolio, and nearly 80 percent back new nuclear energy development.
Political analyst Ruy Teixeira summed it up best when he said, “The most popular approach is an all-of-the-above strategy that provides abundant and cheap energy from multiple sources, including oil and gas to renewables to advanced nuclear power.”
For Gen Z, this means engaging not just as activists but as innovators. If they want a cleaner future, they will need to partner with industry, invest in technology, and build solutions that actually work. Marches and hashtags may have raised awareness, but building a sustainable world will require money, science, and patience.
The future may still belong to Gen Z – but it will be powered, at least for now, by fossil fuels.
NP Editor: This is frustrating, especially since solar energy is by far the cheapest energy to produce. The problem is and has been the cost of storage. We have known that renewable energy requires storage for the last 70 years, and yet the industry has failed to solve it – not because it is hard, but because the industry is addicted to subsidies and refuses to.
