- What is energy poverty? Where does energy insecurity occur in the Washington D.C. area, and how are marginalized groups specifically affected by it?
This year, I am looking at energy poverty in Washington DC. The presence of energy poverty in the United States, and other developed countries has been largely overlooked in scholarly and philanthropic fields, being viewed as an issue isolated to the developing world. That is, energy insecurity has been
incorrectly designated in the public sphere as only occurring in large geographic areas where technological integration is universally absent for the entire population. However, upon the most basic introductory research one can understand that energy insecurity takes many forms and occurs even in nations and urban areas which possess widespread technological advancement. The fact is, wherever power exists, there is inequality of access. Unfortunately, in many urban areas in the States including Washington, D.C., inequality of access to power disproportionately affects marginalized groups and racial minorities.
Before solutions can be made to rectify energy poverty, there needs to be a change in how the general public views this issue and recognizes its detriments not only in the developing world, but domestically and in our own nation’s capitol. So, for my Spring Leadership Project I am organizing an awareness campaign around campus to facilitate a dialogue about energy poverty and its adverse effects on marginalized communities.