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ENERGY FREEDOM FOR ALL IS AT OUR FINGERTIPS

Now streaming and available on Blu-Ray and DVD

Energy freedom for everyone is at our fingertips. But why does it still seem so far away? Because there are some very powerful people preventing us from attaining it. In Power Trip, filmmaker Jonathan Scott (HGTV’s Property Brothers ) travels the United States confronting those at the root of the issue and meets the everyday citizens fighting against a deeply entrenched, powerful system that’s waging war against the solar industry—and against the rights of the people who want to choose how they power their lives. Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip will infuriate, enrage, and compel you to take action to make solar energy a global reality. Catch up on developments in sustainable energy efforts around the country that followed the conclusion of filming Jonathan Scott's Power Trip in 2019.

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Filmmaker Jonathan Scott grew up on a rural farm where he was raised to respect the environment and understand the importance of preserving it. It’s a commitment he’s carried into his career as a licensed contractor, and along with his twin brother Drew, the co-host and executive producer of several hit HGTV home renovation series, including Property Brothers , Property Brothers: Forever Home , and Celebrity IOU . Jonathan’s pursuit of environmentally responsible construction and helping families access the freedom to power their lives has taken him from America’s front porches to the hallways of power on Capitol Hill. In addition to remodeling more than 400 homes for families across North America, Jonathan serves as an ambassador for Habitat for Humanity as a Habitat Humanitarian, the international housing organization’s highest honor. Jonathan is making his directorial debut with his film, Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip.

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Produced and Directed by

Jonathan Scott

Edward Osei-Gyimah

Executive Producers

Bart McDonough

Produced by

Neil Berkeley

Maggie Contreras

Co-Directed by

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Jonathan Scott's Power Trip

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Jonathan Silver Scott

Edward Osei-Gyimah

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Property Brothers Star Jonathan Scott Explores the State of Solar in “Power Trip” on INDEPENDENT LENS; Monday, Nov. 16 at 10 pm

Posted on: Tuesday, November 10, 2020

JONATHAN SCOTT’S POWER TRIP LIGHTS UP PBS’S INDEPENDENT LENS ON NOVEMBER 16

Directorial Debut from Property Brothers Star Jonathan Scott  Explores the State of Solar and the Forces Controlling the Energy Industry

Property Brothers co-host and home-renovation expert Jonathan Scott is on a mission to flip the switch on how Americans access power. On the surface, solar energy seems like a resource that is widely available, however as Scott begins his journey across the country, he quickly finds how little choice the public has in how they source their energy.

Produced by Scott Brothers Entertainment, in partnership with Future You Media, Scott’s directorial debut Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip premieres on Independent Lens on Monday, November 16 at 10 on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS Video App.

In 2015, Scott decided to power his Las Vegas home with solar in an effort to reduce his carbon footprint and explore ways that solar energy could help clients in his home-renovation work. His experiences revealed a system that seemed broken, and the process sparked a three-year journey of frustrating interactions with utility companies, government officials, and confusing legislation.

Like Scott, many Americans have turned to solar in recent years to generate their own environmentally-friendly source of power and to cut costs. Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip chronicles Scott’s quest to gain a deeper understanding of this issue, and raises important questions like where our energy comes from, who controls it, and how it is sourced.

Viewers accompany Scott as he travels the country, interviewing key figures across America’s energy landscape. Featuring interviews with a host of experts such as Bernie Sanders, Al Gore, Tea Party co-founder Debbie Dooley, environmentalists, farmers, coal miners, and solar panel installers, Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip highlights an issue that impacts everyone.

“I was shocked to find that there’s a silent war being waged against everyday people who are trying to have a say in where their power comes from,” Scott said. “It’s not about politics, it’s about the truth. My hope with this film is that it will challenge how we think about energy not only in the U.S., but on a global scale, and motivate people to call for meaningful changes to the way our power is sourced and controlled.”

Lois Vossen, executive producer of Independent Lens , added: “With curiosity, compassion and charisma, Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip gets the juice on solar energy and examines the forces that keep our energy system tied to the fossil fuel industry — an issue that has dramatic economic, social, and environmental implications for people everywhere.”

Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip illuminates the obstacles and opportunities that exist in creating a system that gives the public widespread choice when it comes to sourcing energy.

Visit the Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip page on Independent Lens for more information.

ABOUT JONATHAN SCOTT

Jonathan Scott is an executive producer with Scott Brothers Entertainment (SBE), an award-winning production company that he founded with his twin brother, Drew. Jonathan and Drew host multiple top-rated HGTV series, including the Emmy-nominated  Property Brothers and  Brother vs. Brother , which air in more than 160 countries. Jonathan is also a best-selling author, magazine co-founder and editorial director, Billboard-charting recording artist, and social media influencer, with millions of followers across his digital platforms. In 2017, Jonathan was named Habitat Humanitarian, the highest recognition offered by Habitat for Humanity. Jonathan is also a longtime advocate of environmental responsibility and the advancement of clean, renewable energy. In 2019, he co-wrote and published the e-book Knowledge is Power with Vice President Al Gore and his NGO, Climate Reality, about the power and impact of solar energy on our lives and economy. Follow Jonathan on social media @JonathanScott.

Jonathan Scott's Power Trip

Solar energy evangelist and “Property Brother” Jonathan Scott journeys across the U.S. to uncover why clean, renewable energy isn’t available to all.

Jonathan Scott

Jonathan Scott is an executive producer with Scott Brothers Entertainment (SBE), an award-winning production company based in Toronto, Canada that he founded with his twin brother, Drew. Jonathan and Drew host multiple top-rated HGTV series, including the Emmy-nominated Property Brothers and Brother vs. Brother, which air in more than 160 … Show more countries. Jonathan is also a best-selling author, Billboard-charting recording artist, and social media influencer, with millions of followers across his digital platforms. With offices in the U.S. and Canada, Scott Brothers Entertainment  is a multifaceted production company that strives to develop cutting-edge entertainment for TV, film, and OTT platforms. SBE is the proud recipient of the 2019 Banff World Media Festival award for Most Innovative Company. Jonathan and Drew have written three New York Times best-sellers: Builder Brothers: Big Plans (2018), It Takes Two: Our Story (2017), and Dream Home: The Property Brothers’ Ultimate Guide to Finding & Fixing Your Perfect House (2016). In 2017, Jonathan was named Habitat Humanitarian, the highest recognition offered by Habitat for Humanity. Jonathan is also a longtime advocate of environmental responsibility and the advancement of clean, renewable energy. In 2019, he co-wrote and published the e-book Knowledge is Power with Vice President Al Gore and his NGO, Climate Reality, about the power and impact of solar energy on our lives and economy . For more information about Jonathan Scott, visit TheScottBrothers.com or follow @MrSilverScott on social. Show less

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The key to environmentally friendly, cost-effective energy freedom is literally shining down upon us. In sun-soaked Las Vegas, Jonathan Scott harnesses that power by installing solar panels on his own home. But when Nevada’s Public Utility Commission takes every possible opportunity to suppress that type of competition, Jonathan realizes the barriers to energy independence are powerful, insidious, and by no means unique to his hometown. His stymied attempt at efficiency sparks equal parts fury and curiosity. Becoming an energy choice activist, Jonathan sets out to explore layers of innovation-stifling manipulation perpetrated by energy industries throughout the United States. On his journey to learn both the obstacles and opportunities for achieving energy freedom, Jonathan talks with conservatives fighting for solar freedom; he sits down with farmers struggling to make ends meet; engages coal workers desperate for a new, healthy means of making an income; religious leaders who made a desperate attempt to help meet their community’s energy needs; and politicians at the forefront of the battle for energy freedom. Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip asks and uncovers the answer to the question, “Why don’t more Americans have the choice to go solar?”

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One half of the 'Property Brothers' praises solar in documentary

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One half of the 'Property Brothers' praises solar in doc

NEW YORK (AP) — As half of HGTV's “Property Brothers,” Jonathan Scott is all about transforming interior spaces. Now he's revealing a massive space he'd like to transform — the Earth.

“Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip” is his new documentary about solar power and why this clean, renewable source of energy is being stifled by what he calls an "archaic, old boys system” that's financially addicted to fossil fuels.

“It’s just so frustrating when you see how rigged the game is,” he tells The Associated Press. “I’ve always been willing to be the person that stands up and speaks and says something.”

The film premieres Monday night as part of “Independent Lens” on PBS stations across the country and contains interviews with environmentalist and former Vice President Al Gore and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. It takes Scott from Georgia farmers suffering with skyrocketing energy bills to coal miners in Kentucky with black lung. He reveals his own grandfather died of the ailment.

Scott, who directs and co-wrote the film, argues that utility companies have fed disinformation about renewable energy and purposely frustrated consumer choice with a government mandated legal monopoly.

“There’s so much misinformation, I’m taking all of the truth and I’m putting it in one place. Everything that I’m showing in the film, there’s no discussion or debate or doubt about it anymore,” he said.

In some cases, he found utilities shifting the cost of coal ash cleanup onto the very same customers who contracted cancer from the waste. “We constantly keep letting them take away our rights and we let them pollute our communities,” he said.

In an interview with the AP, Scott discussed why he believes solar isn't a partisan issue, why he'd like to install more solar panels on “Property Brothers” and why he wrote a song for the film. Answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.

AP: What's fascinating in the film is that pro-solar voices can be found from die-hard Democrats like Al Gore to Tea Party leaders like Debbie Dooley.

Scott: I intentionally wanted to make sure that both sides of the political aisle were represented in the voices because what I discovered during the journey is it’s not a partisan issue. It’s just there are a lot of very powerful corporations that have realized if they can try and make us think it’s a partisan issue, they’re more likely to succeed in slowing things down and keeping the status quo.

AP: You spend a lot of time outlining that the industrialist Koch brothers protect a monopolized system. But you also go after Warren Buffett and his Berkshire Hathaway investments in oil, gas and coal, too.

Scott: I’ve had this conversation with some friends: They say, ‘Look at people like Warren Buffett. He’s a good guy.’ Yeah, he’s a smart guy. And how do you think he’s making his billions of dollars? When he donates millions and millions to charity, that’s wonderful. But he’s making that money mostly through his energy holdings.

AP: You're also passionate about climate change, but it barely gets a mention in the film. Why?

Scott: There’s a large contingent of the population who as soon as they hear ‘climate,’ they tune out and they’re not interested because they think it’s just a bunch of hubbub. I didn’t want that with the film. I’m not trying to create a film to pander and preach to the people who are already converted. I wanted to create a film that starts a dialog and lets people listen long enough that it piques their interest and then maybe they’ll start to take a new interest in renewable energy or change their opinion.

AP: Why don't you do more solar installs on “Property Brothers”?

Scott: I’d love to. We’ve done a few episodes of our shows where we have put solar in, but that’s a far cry from the 400 episodes that we’ve done. And the reason is most of the homeowners on ‘Property Brothers’ usually they have next to no budget for everything that they want to accomplish. So we’re trying to get them the things that will functionally make their life work now.

AP: A song you co-wrote and sing called “Being Honest” plays over the end credits. Tell us about it.

Scott: I was trying to find the right song that would express the seriousness of what we’re discussing in the film. But it’s also sort of just the political climate right now, and it even relates to people in their relationships. I think we are so fed up that we just want a little honesty in our lives.

Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

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This reality TV star was mad at Warren Buffett for blocking solar. So he made a movie

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This is the Jan. 14, 2021, edition of Boiling Point, a weekly newsletter about climate change and the environment in California and the American West. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.

As rooftop solar power has gotten cheaper and more useful — a topic I wrote about last week — a powerful industry has pushed back. I’m talking about utilities, the state-sanctioned monopolies that build poles and wires and sell us electricity from centralized power plants, earning large guaranteed profits in the process.

Jonathan Scott is no fan of that industry.

If you haven’t spent much time watching HGTV — and full disclosure, I have not — Scott co-hosts “Property Brothers,” which features him and his twin brother, Drew, buying and renovating houses on a budget. He’s also a Las Vegas resident who put solar panels on his home and got pretty pissed when state officials allowed a monopoly utility owned by Warren Buffett to gut its “net metering” program, which compensates solar customers for the electricity they produce.

Spurred by his frustration, Scott spent three and a half years producing a documentary, “Power Trip,” which aired recently on PBS. The film explores how utility companies across the country have fought to maintain their monopolies, focusing on power players including Buffett’s NV Energy, Duke Energy in North Carolina and Southern Company subsidiary Georgia Power.

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Scott interviewed hundreds of people, including a coal miner afflicted by black lung disease and people of color suffering from utility-generated fossil-fuel pollution in their communities. His film goes into impressive levels of detail on wonky topics such as the mechanics of net metering and the role of industry trade groups like the Edison Electric Institute.

I talked with Scott about solar’s bipartisan appeal, the importance of a “just transition” for fossil-fuel workers and the utility that threatened to stop sponsoring his TV show. The following highlights from our conversation are edited and condensed for clarity.

ME: Tell me about your decision to make this film, and why you dedicated so much time to it.

SCOTT: In Vegas, the process of putting solar on my home was pretty easy. The tricky thing was, NV Energy delayed and dragged their heels for months and months, and all they had to do was approve us to flip the switch and turn the system on. And it started to annoy me, because I’m paying these big power bills.

Shortly after they finally approved us, they killed net metering in Nevada. And all of us a sudden, solar companies left the state, and my head sort of spun, and I was like, “What the hell is going on here?” And that’s when I started digging in. I hired a researcher. And we discovered this secret war being waged against rooftop solar.

It turned into a human story. I traveled around the country. I met with hundreds of people from all different walks of life. And I discovered that across the board, whether they are Republican, Democrat, conservative, liberal, city dwellers, country dwellers — everybody agreed that renewable energy was a good thing. They liked the idea of being able to produce their own power. The only people I found that were against it were people affiliated with fossil-fuel companies or the utilities.

ME: Utilities often argue that rooftop solar is mostly for the wealthy, and that policies like net metering result in low-income families being forced to pay higher bills to maintain the electric grid. I know you don’t agree with that. But what did you learn in your travels about the economics of going solar and who can afford it?

SCOTT: There’s no one answer because every state is different. In Washington, D.C., not only do you get incentives, tax breaks, but there are also energy credits you can sell. In places like D.C., it’s incredibly beneficial to put in solar. There are other places where it’s more restrictive. In Nevada, the utility is allowed to set limits on how much solar you can install.

We need some sort of national energy policy that will not only bring that cost down and simplify the process, but also promote what is the future of energy. When I started the film, there were 20 coal-fired power plants slated to be built in the U.S. By the end, all of those projects were either abandoned or shut down. And that’s a good thing. We are moving in the right direction.

But solar is still being met with opposition. The new trend is that a lot of utilities are saying, “We’re pro-solar, we’re pro-renewable energy.” They support utility-scale solar farms, but they’re anti-rooftop solar because they want to own the power.

ME: In California, utilities have tried to reduce compensation to solar customers, although without much success. Now it looks like there’s another fight over net metering getting started at the Public Utilities Commission.

SCOTT: We read these articles about how California plans to be 100% renewable. But the utilities are trying to end net metering, and it will be the same thing that happened in Nevada. It will benefit the utilities, but it will adversely affect the individual.

ME: One thing I enjoyed in your film was how you teased out all the different energy companies that Warren Buffett owns. He’s invested in solar and wind farms, gas pipelines and even railways that move coal. I’m kind of fascinated by that.

SCOTT: Even some of my own friends saw the film and said, “What are you talking about? Warren’s a great guy.”

I was a big fan of Warren and all the stuff he’s done. Then I saw him talking about how net metering is a subsidy. Either he was severely misinformed by the people who work for him who run NV Energy, or he was lying through his teeth. Warren is an intelligent guy, and I don’t think he would ignorantly run a company of that magnitude without knowing what’s happening.

The first time we voted in Nevada on breaking up NV Energy’s monopoly, the ballot measure passed overwhelmingly. But you have to pass a ballot measure twice in order to change the state constitution. The second round, the utility spent $63 million on their ad campaign. They outspent the people who wanted to break up the monopoly 2-to-1. And they won. They managed to change people’s opinions. Their materials were really slick.

ME: One of the most striking moments in the film was your conversation with a Duke Energy spokesman. When you asked him why the company went to great lengths to stop a Black church from buying its own solar power, and whether the monopoly utility paradigm is immoral, part of his response was, “That’s just the way it has been.”

SCOTT: What a stupid answer. That’s how it’s always been. Yeah, well, it used to be that we didn’t allow women to vote, and it used to be that we enslaved people. That’s how that had always been.

“Property Brothers” airs in a lot of countries. When I first started writing the film — before I had talked to anybody externally — I got a phone call from the president of one of our networks, and they said, “We’ve got a problem.” One of our largest sponsors is the utility, and they said they found out I’m writing a film that does not paint them in a nice light, and they are going to pull their funding from our shows if I continue with the film.

That really got under my skin. One, how the hell did they even know I was writing this? That really creeped me out. And two, they don’t even know what the film is going to say. If they’re already that nervous, it means I’m obviously onto something.

ME: Another striking scene was your conversation with the Kentucky coal miner who had black lung disease. He told you he’d still recommend coal mining as a profession. But when you pressed and asked if he’d want his own children to become miners, he finally said no. Talk about that moment.

SCOTT: That was one of the most powerful parts of the entire journey. It was sad that Billy passed away two weeks after I interviewed him. I actually saw it in his eyes, where all of a sudden it clicked, and he realized there is a better way.

My grandfather was a coal miner. There are too many people who are willing to vilify anyone who worked in coal. Fossil fuels are how we got where we are today. They were the backbone of the Industrial Revolution. For people who say we need to go 100% renewable right now, flip the switch, no more fossil fuel — it’s literally impossible. We would crush the economy.

So what is the transition plan? I hate seeing people that are getting cancer because of the aftereffects of coal ash . I hate seeing respiratory problems in low-income communities that have no political or financial might to fight back against a smokestack in their neighborhood. There’s definitely a way we can do it if we stop allowing these powerful companies to just feed us BS.

And now, here’s what’s happening around the West:

TOP STORIES

A well-funded new ad campaign in swing states will feature climate scientists who are also moms talking about their concerns for their kids. Here’s the story from my colleague Anna M. Phillips. The ad campaign is getting underway as scientists report that 2020 tied 2016 as Earth’s hottest year on record, with hurricanes, fires and other climate-fueled weather events causing U.S. disaster costs to double to $95 billion, as Henry Fountain and Christopher Flavelle report for the New York Times.

Last week’s violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol had ties to anti-government extremist violence on public lands in the West. Carl Segerstrom reviewed the history for High Country News, including the Bundy family’s armed standoff over illegal grazing in Nevada and the occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. In her independent newsletter, journalist Leah Sottile writes that we all should have taken Malheur more seriously and warns that we should expect this type of violence to continue.

A judge has ruled that Porter Ranch residents can seek damages from Southern California Gas over health impacts from the Aliso Canyon gas leak. The trial is expected to begin later this year , Olga Grigoryants reports for the Los Angeles Daily News. Elsewhere in the San Fernando Valley, The Times’ Lila Seidman reports that regional air quality officials have slapped Los Angeles with a “notice of violation” over the multiyear methane leak at a gas plant in Sun Valley, a predominantly Latino neighborhood.

POLITICAL CLIMATE

As Joe Biden’s team works on plans for a “just transition” to clean energy jobs in fossil fuel-dependent communities, Wyoming’s Republican governor says the state might have to abandon whole towns. That is an actual detail in this story by the Washington Post’s Tim Craig about huge Republican gains in statehouses in November. One reason abandoning towns is on the table is resistance to cleaner energy. As one local official in Wyoming told High Country News’ Jane C. Hu: “People who have made their living in oil, gas and coal — they feel like if you like wind, you’re cheating on your wife. ... But we need every piece of it.”

Even one of the top contractors on California’s bullet train says the project is wildly behind schedule. In a blistering letter, the contractor blames state agencies for failing to acquire many parcels of land in the Central Valley, although the company itself is also responsible for some of the delays and multibillion-dollar cost overruns, as Ralph Vartabedian reports for The Times.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal includes $1.5 billion to help shift California away from oil-fueled cars and $1 billion to prevent and fight fires. More details here from the Desert Sun’s Mark Olalde, including reactions from environmental groups.

AROUND THE WEST

Famed architect Frank Gehry has unveiled a plan to build a series of parks and other public spaces along the concrete-lined Los Angeles River. Here’s the story from my colleague Louis Sahagún , who reports that Gehry’s plans have backing from government officials but have drawn criticism from environmental groups for adding concrete to the river rather than removing it.

California is looking dry, dry, dry for the foreseeable future. We’re right in the middle of the historically wettest part of the rainy season, and there’s no rain in the forecast, Michael Williams reports for the San Francisco Chronicle. But one irony of the climate crisis is that when we do get rain, it tends to come in increasingly devastating downpours. New Stanford research finds that rising temperatures are already responsible for one-third of flood damage nationwide, the Chronicle’s Kurtis Alexander reports.

The coolest climate solution you’ve probably never heard of: bamboo. I was fascinated to read this story by Audrey Gray for Inside Climate News, which explores the huge carbon-sucking potential of a plant — technically a grass — long seen as a nuisance. The story includes reporting from California’s Imperial County, where bamboo could help mitigate Salton Sea dust storms.

THE ENERGY TRANSITION

The Trump administration’s oil and gas lease sale in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge basically flopped. Just half of the 22 available parcels got bids, and only two were from actual companies as opposed to Alaska’s state government, as Henry Fountain reports for the New York Times. But on public lands elsewhere — particularly in New Mexico in Wyoming — Trump administration officials issued more oil and gas permits than ever during their final months in power, an Associated Press analysis finds.

Lithium-ion batteries are dominant right now, but could other energy storage chemistries make a splash? Dan Gearino had a good rundown for Inside Climate News on various startups worth watching. In the San Diego area, meanwhile, a cluster of zinc-based batteries will soon participate in California energy markets, Rob Nikolewski reports for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Also in San Diego County, a new government-run electricity provider claims Sempra-owned San Diego Gas & Electric is trying to undermine its launch — by lowering electricity rates just beforehand. Rob Nikolewski explains what’s going on.

ONE MORE THING

In a country where military bases, university buildings and other institutions continue to bear the names of Confederate leaders, slaveholders and other disreputable figures, it should be no surprise that some mountain peaks may also need renaming.

In an opinion piece for the L.A. Times , history professor Andrew Offenburger says Mts. Baden-Powell and Burnham in the San Gabriels are two such peaks named for white supremacists. “This issue is about much more than two men in slouch hats and khakis,” he writes. “It’s about the legacy of empire, the common system that shaped southern Africa, Mexico and the American West.”

We’ll be back in your inbox next week. If you enjoyed this newsletter, please consider forwarding it to your friends and colleagues.

Sammy Roth is the climate columnist for the Los Angeles Times. He writes the twice-weekly Boiling Point newsletter and focuses on clean energy solutions. He previously reported for the Desert Sun and USA Today, where he covered renewable energy and public lands. He grew up in Westwood and would very much like to see the Dodgers win the World Series again.

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The Property Brothers Want to Renovate the Planet, Ecologically Speaking

And they’re using “a B.S. buzzer” to cut through the political noise

The Scott Brothers joined House Beautiful Editor-in-Chief Joanna Saltz at The Future of Eco-Conscious Living Virtual Summit. Watch the video below to hear their views on sustainability, environmental policy, and much more!

As often happens, Jonathan and Drew Scott were first drawn to environmental advocacy by a personal connection—or rather, a situation that really, really pissed them off. They were renovating their family home in Las Vegas about a decade ago, and decided to outfit it with solar power. "After we'd done all this work and were ready to go, the utility would just not give us permission to flip a switch and start using it," Jonathan remembers. "No sooner did we finally get that approval than the PUC [Public Utilities Commission] changed the legislation and basically killed solar in Nevada. All the solar companies closed down. We were like, What the hell is going on here?"

Over Zoom on a break from filming, he shakes his head in frustration at the memory. "Drew and I were debaters in college. If something doesn't smell right, we don't let go."

Their research, and personal revelations about what they call the "whole secret war being waged" against renewable energy companies by fossil fuel utilities, led to the award-winning 2020 PBS documentary Jonathan Scott's Power Trip . Three years later, the Property Brothers have transformed themselves into the fully fledged eco warriors. As two of HGTV's biggest, most bankable stars, they’ve starred in 11 shows or spinoffs , and created product lines, a production company, a podcast, two books, a magazine and more. Now, they're throwing themselves into using their considerable influence to push their true passion of sustainability.

Some might consider environmental crusading an odd fit for celebrities with a big fan base in red states—constituents of the very politicians waging the "whole secret war." But the Scott brothers beg to differ. "Our shows are the perfect platform. Now that we have the highest-rated shows on HGTV, every episode is a chance to reach millions of people," points out Drew.

Still, they understand that the key to their success is being practical, not preachy. "Incorporating an induction range in this episode, showing how you can blow in more insulation in that episode, swapping out light bulbs for LEDs…Those were little things that we could do to start to educate," says Drew.

Off-camera, they made sure their own products were produced with sustainable materials and methods; created an internal sustainability team at Scott Brothers Global; and leaned on contractors, third-party vendors, and industry partners to adopt similar practices.

More recently, the Scott brothers have taken their voices all the way to Washington. In March, 2022, Jonathan testified before Congress about the benefits of heat pump technology. At the 2023 International Builders Show in Las Vegas, both brothers participated in a talk with Jeremiah Baumann from the Department of Energy. And, last year, Jonathan, who sits on the board of the nonprofit Rewiring America, held an Instagram Live discussion with Senator Martin Heinrich to discuss induction ranges, an issue that became a political circus for a few weeks there in early 2023, when conservative politicians—and the natural gas industry— warned of an impending gas stove ban before President Biden clarified none was imminent.

"The scariest reports have finally come out about indoor air quality and gas ranges. No one ever turns their hood on. They're pumping all of those fumes and that exhaust into their homes and that is causing asthma, respiratory problems, and deaths in severe circumstances," says Jonathan. (For a kitschy throwback to help understand the gas industry's promotion of such stoves, he recommends watching the '80s-tastic campaign, Now You’re Cooking with Gas , which encouraged Americans to do just that.) "With induction ovens," Jonathan continues, "not only is [the cooktop] not hot to the touch, so it's safe for kids, there’s no benzene coming off. You can boil a pot of water two to three times faster, and [you don’t have] the cost of running gas lines."

They're not constantly spouting statistics, though. When Jonathan wonders whether it would be helpful to get "other" celebrity chefs to take up the induction mantle, Drew interrupts with the type of repartee that captured audience hearts long ago. "Are you calling yourself a celebrity chef?" he teases, to which his brother immediately cracks, "Yeah, I happen to dabble. And make a mean omelet."

The brothers have literally banked on their silly banter, but they're also eager to get serious. They don’t seem worried about risking the alienation of their considerable number of conservative viewers by, say, working with the Biden administration on publicizing the Inflation Reduction Act. "The whole thing with Jonathan and me is, we're not biased, red and blue. What we want is what's best for families," says Drew. "Climate change is a big thing, but there's a lot of keywords that scare people or just offend them, and they get their defenses up. We cut that all aside."

The Scotts return again and again to this assertion—that their environmental work is all about families. "At the end of the day, what Jonathan and I are focused on is a happy, healthy home for all families in America," says Drew.

In an effort to make that happen, they've worked to create an apolitical website, drewandjonathan.com , that aims to provide clear solutions to home updates and eco-conundrums while cutting through the propaganda from the fossil fuels industry. "Being so inundated, and so busy with life in general, it's really hard for people to take the time to figure out sustainability," he explains. "When you know there's some new policy or something that's coming that is not for the best interest of people, how do we create this bullshit button that just calls it out?" The brothers seem to hope their site will serve as just such a "BS buzzer," helping viewers cut through the hype to understand what is truly in their best interests.

As part of their effort to get the word out about sustainability, the Scott brothers are quick to point out that working to save the planet can help families save money, too. "Solar [energy] is so much more cost-effective! It's almost pennies compared to ten years ago, when we were doing that Vegas house. Induction ovens are less expensive than the fossil-fuel driven options because you have those rebates and tax incentives," Drew explains. "Price doesn't have to be the barrier."

Jonathan chimes in, "The more people who adopt these technologies, the quicker that price comes down, because manufacturing costs substantially reduce."

The brothers are known to geek out—talking about the coolest new technologies and product innovations gets them both jazzed. And it's not all talk and no action. They're the first to adopt the technologies they endorse. Take SPAN panels, which replace traditional circuit breakers. "It's an AI-driven panel—that's what Zooey and I put in our home," Jonathan says, referring to his actress partner, Zooey Deschanel. "It monitors everything and tells us if an appliance is going to fail before it fails. [If] your power's out, you can go charge your electric vehicle and power your home off your EV."

Drew also uses SPAN panels to track the energy output of the home he shares with his wife, Linda, and their nearly year-old son, Parker. "You can see if an appliance is drawing way too much power. I have the same for water-leak detection, so I can tell if somebody's running their shower for longer than they should be. If my wife's sister is visiting and likes her long showers, I would just shut off the water," he says drily. "That's just teaching them to be more sustainable. Yeah, I'm mature!"

You may not have a sister-in-law who’d see the humor in a curtailed shower—or an EV charging in the driveway. But, the brothers have some ideas for how to approach making your own home more sustainable without getting overwhelmed or depressed. "Do a little bit of reconnaissance at home. Create a list of all the things or ways that you potentially waste, whether it's electricity or single-use plastics or something else," suggests Drew. "Once you see it, break it into sizeable chunks, like, 'Hey, let's focus on the heating/cooling, or insulating, or the window coverings.'"

For their own list of goals listing how to achieve a more sustainable future, the brothers seem to have written Don't shame the audience in block letters at the top. "There's no need to vilify," says Jonathan. "If we can make sure that the clean, green appliances are competitive at the point when somebody needs to change their appliance, then we're doing our job."

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• >> Entertainment
• >> TV

Jonathan Scott of ‘Property Brothers’ directs his 1st movie

The documentary began with his frustrations trying to power his Las Vegas home with solar energy.

“Property Brothers” fans have a chance to see Jonathan Scott in a new light.

If he has his way, that light will be powered by the sun.

“Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip,” his directorial debut, premieres at 10 p.m. Nov. 16 as part of “Independent Lens” on PBS stations across the country.

Before that, Vegas PBS is hosting a special virtual screening at 4 p.m. Tuesday, followed by a Q&A featuring Scott and others featured in the film.

In 2015, Scott decided to power his Las Vegas home with solar energy, a process that kicked off a three-year odyssey of frustration.

“I was shocked to find that there’s a silent war being waged against everyday people who are trying to have a say in where their power comes from,” Scott said in a statement. “It’s not about politics, it’s about the truth. My hope with this film is that it will challenge how we think about energy not only in the U.S., but on a global scale, and motivate people to call for meaningful changes to the way our power is sourced and controlled.”

For the documentary, Scott interviewed people across the political spectrum, including former Vice President Al Gore, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Tea Party co-founder Debbie Dooley, along with environmentalists, coal miners and farmers.

To register for Tuesday’s virtual screening and Q&A, click here .

Contact Christopher Lawrence at [email protected] or 702-380-4567. Follow @life_onthecouch on Twitter.

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Jonathan Scott Announces His First-Ever Documentary Film and Zooey Deschanel Is 'So Proud'

The film follows the HGTV star as he travels the United States fighting for clean energy

Jonathan Scott is ready to join the fight for clean energy, and he’s doing so with the launch of his first-ever documentary film, titled Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip .

The Property Brothers star, 42, announced his new project on Instagram on Thursday, sharing a trailer for the film, which he stars in, directed, produced and wrote.

“This is a story about corruption that I fell into, but quickly learned that it needs to be told,” he explained in the caption. “I invested three years of my life to help people understand where our energy comes from, why it matters, and who is trying to take away your rights. My hope is it helps us come together and work for a better energy future for all.”

The investigative documentary will premiere on PBS’s Independent Lens on November 16 at 10/9c, and will be Scott’s directorial debut.

“I’m so proud!!!” Zooey Deschanel, the star's girlfriend of over a year , wrote in the comments section.

In the trailer, the HGTV star explains that his inspiration for this project came when he decided to power his own home using solar energy, discovering that there is an ongoing “battle over the future of energy in America” — and, he says, that there are significant human and environmental costs associated with the monopolized energy model currently in place.

“I had no idea that a simple solar install would become a search for truth,” he says.

RELATED VIDEO: Drew Scott Discusses the Launch of the Brothers' New Magazine, 'Reveal'

The documentary will follow Scott as he travels across the United States meeting with people on both sides of the energy industry — visiting coal mines, utility companies, power plants and everyday homes — confronting those at the root of the issue and fighting for change along the way.

“ Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip will infuriate, enrage, and compel you to take action to make solar energy a global reality,” the documentary website reads.

“This is about people, this is about their lives,” Scott says to conclude the trailer. “Our health has been compromised, our rights have been taken away, but it’s not too late to fight back. When it comes to energy freedom, this country has a long, long way to go.”Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip premieres November 16 at 10/9c on PBS, and will be streamable on the PBS website.

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• Entertainment

Here's How You Can Watch Every Episode Of Property Brothers

2021 is starting out to become the year of comfort TV! Since 2011, twin brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott has kept us inspired to switch up our interior design in HGTV's Property Brothers (via IMDb ).

This year, the brothers kicked off a new year called Forever Home . According to the show's website, the brothers "are on a mission to help couples transform their houses into forever homes where they can put down roots and happily spend their lives." As with their previous show, the brothers would reimagine a space and use their renovating magic to make it a dream home. 

Starting this year, fans can watch all of their favorite shows from HGTV, the Magnolia Network, and the Food Network through the Discovery+ app , including " Property Brothers. " 

Discovery+ is a new streaming service from Discovery that was launched on Jan.4 (via TechCrunch ). Viewers can watched over 55,000 episodes. Subscriptions start at $4.99 a month with a 7-day trial. Premium plans start at $6.99 a month. Discovery+ is available on Roku, Amazon FireTV and FireStick, Apple TV, and desktop and mobile devices. The HGTV watch app is also part of Discovery+.

Another way to watch "Property Brothers" episodes is through Hulu.  

'Property Brothers' are available on Discovery+

All  Property Brothers seasons are available to watch 24/7 on the popular streaming platform, with plans starting as low as $5.99 a month. Stream season 7 of the show on Amazon Prime for $19.99. Other Property Brothers watch options are Sling TV  and  AT&T TV Now . 

When the brothers are not filming, they have their hands in other ventures. Jonathan Scott recently produced a documentary titled Power Trip , which recently aired on PBS. According to The Los Angeles Times , Scott spent three and a half years producing the show. The documentary focuses on how utility companies across the country have fought to maintain their independent empires.

He's also dating girlfriend Zooey Deschanel. The couple recently celebrated Robert Burns Day with a virtual dinner with family, the Daily Mail reports. 

Meanwhile Drew Scott shows us he has more than just talent in home renovation. Last month, the 42-year-old released an acoustic cover of his first original Christmas song titled, " Nothing Feels Better Than Christmas ."  This week, he released a new cover titled of  Michael Bublé's "Home" . Both videos are available on him and his wife's YouTube channel, At Home With Linda & Drew Scott . 

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Backed By The Bros: The Million-Dollar Fixer-Upper

Will this rookie investor survive the tight-budget renovation?

By Bree Pulver | July 31, 2024 | Backed By The Bros Season 1, Episode 9

IN THIS ARTICLE

• getting started
• before and afters

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Last week on Backed By The Bros , Drew and Jonathan met with John, a 21-year-old entrepreneur who just bought his first property and needs help navigating his million-dollar fixer-upper in Venice Beach, California. The young investor purchased a $1.35M beach house and has already sunk $150K into renovations to bring the building up to code before the Brothers even got there. But the project is still a long way from finished. On episode 9 of Backed By The Bros this week, we get to see this renovation come to life, with all of the ups and downs along the way.

John has lofty goals for the property, and the Brothers are trying to talk him down off the ledge so he doesn’t end up overspending to the point that he has no return on this investment. But from waterfall features with a bridge that mimics the Venice canals to going tens of thousands of dollars over-budget to finish the project, John was defiant against many of the Brothers’ recommendations and advice. Would it all be worth it once the renovations stop and the short-term rental listing goes up?

Getting Started

When they began the project, Drew and Jonathan came into the house to discuss potential changes with John. John wanted to turn the one-story property into a two-story, but the Brothers advised against it since it would most likely eat up the budget without having much of an impact on his return. John wants the property to be a luxurious, premium short-term rental, and he and the Bros made plans to make the home upscale without going overboard on budget and timeline. However, John ended up getting a little carried away once the Brothers left.

John put in almost 15 work order changes that amounted to nearly $90K in overages and an extra month’s worth of renovations. That brings his total renovation cost to almost $570K and 21 weeks of labor. “He’s so focused on making this the best property that anyone has ever seen, he’s not even paying attention to the stress that he’s causing us and our trades and everybody who’s trying to make this happen,” Drew says.

“He’s definitely got his blinders on and he’s focused on something that he gets in his head,” Jonathan says. “Not every good idea is a good idea.”

But, the Brothers say, John isn’t lazy—he just has so many ideas and wants to incorporate all of them all at once. The finished property does look fantastic, Drew and Jonathan say, but the costly expenses he’s made might mean it’ll take some time for John to reap a reward. He’ll find out in the end whether it was worth it to go over-budget and over-schedule in order to include everything he wants into the space.

Before and Afters

The Main Living and Kitchen Area

The open-air kitchen and living room are complete with light finishes and pops of color. The white couch features a stain-resistant fabric and the red steel Z frame below the countertop signifies the name of the property: “The Zen-ice Beach House.”

The Primary Bedroom

The primary bedroom feels luxurious (sans the micro-closet on the opposite wall). Bright light fills the room, and changing the fireplace’s facade into a more sleek design makes the room feel both modern and cozy.

The Guest House Living Room

The guest house is just as extravagant as the main house, with automatic blinds, a modern Murphy bed , bar area, and bespoke lighting. It’s a great spot to unwind and relax at night, or for extra guests to sleep.

The Outdoor Space

Almost every door and window in the space either opens up to the backyard or features large glass windows, which exudes that luxury feel. Both the guest house and the main house have large sliding glass doors that blend the interior space with the exterior space seamlessly.

The Backyard Sauna

John included a cold plunge, hot tub, sauna, and fire pit into the backyard, so whatever his renters are feeling like that day, they can take to the backyard and find it there. This backyard retreat was costly, but it makes for a very upscale experience.

Shop the Look

Check out the decor, furniture, and more seen in this episode–and get it for yourself!

Click here to see all of the items featured in this episode!

Tune in next week to watch the final episode of the season , at 9:00pm ET on Wednesday, August 7 on MAX and HGTV.

Backed By The Bros: Tackling the Detached ADU

Lots of choices, little time.

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