Posted by admin | Posted in Green Energy | Posted on 12-07-2010
Tags: energy, environment, fund, green, green energy trust fund, investing
Is environmentalism unattainable in poor communities?
In a separate post on school lunch reform “Jonathan Miller” accused me of being “a stupid trust fund baby” (if wishing could make it so) for wanting school lunch programs to be more sustaianble and healthy. It got me thinking, is a green lifestyle really a privelege of the middle class and wealthy? Are there ways to make things like home energy efficiency a viable option for those who can least afford rising energy costs? How would you do it?
This is meant to be a serious discussion. I report insulting or otherwise inappropriate commentary in any and all of my questions. If you can’t be civil, take it elsewhere.
By way of background, I’m from a poor and very rural farm community. When I say “poor communities” I’m not talking from on high. I’m talking about communities very much like the one in which I grew up.
I consider one of the greatest problems facing our environment is over consumption. That is why America is getting so much bad press, we use more everything and create more pollution per person than any other country on the planet. In many ways poor communities are more environmentally friendly than richer communities, they can’t afford to waste. They buy fewer clothing items per month, put less food waste in the garbage, have fewer electronics plugged in, so use less energy, many more low income families use public transportation, carpool and walk.
There are many community programs that are helping teach low income families how to conserve even more, there are solar lease programs, weatherization services etc. So, it can be done and is being done all over the nation.
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