Energy Efficiency to Save our Communities - and Our Wallets

In the midst of this pandemic, one thing has been clear - the disparities between the poor and rich are more apparent. In the last few months as families have lost their incomes, it has become harder for them to pay their bills. And the worst part is, they are spending money on energy bills that are unnecessarily high due to energy inefficiency - about two thirds of energy is wasted in the entire country.

The disparities are even deeper between racial and ethnic groups, where people of color allocate about 3 times more of their income towards energy than their white counterparts. I have spoken to so many people who think to reduce electricity use by keeping the lights off and reducing water use in order to reduce bills. By instituting government programs to help low income families make their homes more energy efficient it would not only reduce energy bills but also prevent wasting energy. With more consumer awareness we can bring attention to this glaring issue and pass bills to bring reform and change our communities for the better.