When you walk into Haint Blu Salon in Sandy Springs, Georgia, you might think you’re just there for a fresh cut, some self-care, and maybe a chat about life or the latest news. But what you might not expect is to leave with a little more hope – and some practical tips from Torrie – about how you can help the planet, right from your own home. Torrie isn’t a climate scientist or policy expert. She’s a hairdresser. She’s also a climate advocate, a volunteer, and someone who’s determined to help her community understand that clean energy isn’t just for the experts – it’s for everyone.

Torrie’s journey into clean energy advocacy came from curiosity and a willingness to just try. While looking for a volunteer opportunity that combined science, community, and policy, she connected with Science for Georgia, a nonprofit focused on making science accessible and impactful for all Georgians. From there, she dove into volunteering at community events, visiting the Georgia State Capitol to speak with legislators, and even completing an online Climate Reality Project course founded by Al Gore. “I never thought I would be picked for these kinds of things,” Torrie says. “But I kept thinking, ‘Why not? Let’s just try it.’ And every step led me to learn more and do more.”

Torrie hears from people all the time that they feel overwhelmed by the climate crisis – especially when they’re just trying to support their families and get through the day. But that’s exactly why she weaves clean energy conversations into her everyday work. “When clients come in, climate doom is already on their mind,” she explains. “So when the topic comes up – whether it’s about extreme weather or news about government funding cuts – I try to steer the conversation toward small, positive actions they can take.” For Torrie, this means offering bite-sized solutions that already work for her: composting food scraps in the backyard, using a crockpot instead of a gas stove once a week, or looking into energy-efficient appliances like heat pumps. These may seem small, but when multiplied across households, they add up. 

Torrie’s message to anyone who wants to help but isn’t sure how? Start small, stay curious, and remember that your actions matter. “Just try something,” she says. “These little things, if enough people do them, really can add up and improve both your life and the world.” She’s learned, for example, that even if electric appliances or electric vehicles draw power from a grid still powered by fossil fuels, they’re typically twice as efficient as their gas-powered counterparts – saving both energy and climate-harming emissions. That’s the kind of practical information she shares with her clients, aiming to replace doom with empowerment.

What excites Torrie most about her advocacy work is the potential to build stronger, more connected communities. “In a thriving community, people help each other out, connect face to face, and focus on what unites us – not just what divides us. I believe in people,” she says simply. “We can do anything if we agree to it. It’s just the agreeing part we need to work on.” 

This post was produced by Generation180, sharing the stories of local leaders driving climate action and clean energy solutions across the country. Torrie was a participant of Amplifiers: Atlanta in April 2025, a joint program between Generation180 and Rewiring America to inspire more clean energy advocates in the greater metro region.