By Sylvan Scholl
Energy Programs Supervisor, Catholic Community Services of Lane County
Talk about energy conservation, and most people think solar panels, LED bulbs, and smart thermostats. These are all great—but we’re missing a huge piece of the climate puzzle. What about the thousands of families right here in Lane County who can’t afford to keep their lights on? 
Energy poverty is real, and it’s everywhere. When families spend more than 6% of their income just to keep the heat on, something’s broken. We see this daily in our work: parents choosing between groceries and the gas bill, elderly neighbors sitting in the dark to save money, kids doing homework by phone flashlight because the power got shut off.
This isn’t just heartbreaking. It’s bad for the environment, too.
The climate connection
Here’s what many sustainability conversations miss: families struggling with energy costs often live in the least efficient housing. We’re talking drafty apartments, ancient furnaces, and windows that might as well be holes in the wall. These homes waste massive amounts of energy and pump out more carbon emissions than they should.
When you can’t afford your electric bill, you definitely can’t afford to weatherize your rental or buy an efficient refrigerator. You might heat your home with a dangerous space heater or leave the oven door open. It’s not great for anyone. Not the family. Not their neighbors. And not our climate goals.
Plus, climate change hits low-income communities hardest. Extreme heat waves mean sky-high cooling bills. Winter storms knock out power for days. Flooding damages homes that families can’t afford to repair properly. The people with the least resources end up paying the highest price for our changing climate.
It takes more than bill payment
Real solutions go deeper than just helping someone pay their utility bill this month. Smart energy assistance connects families to weatherization programs, helps them understand their energy use, and links them with stable housing options. The goal is breaking the cycle, not just putting a band-aid on it.
When this works well, everyone wins. Kids do better in school when they’re not worried about whether the heat will work. Parents can focus on job training instead of managing constant crises. Local businesses benefit when families have money to spend on more than just keeping the lights on.
Building something better
Creating truly sustainable communities means making sure everyone can access affordable, reliable energy. That takes utilities, nonprofits, local government, and neighbors all working together. It means seeing energy assistance as climate action, not charity.
As Lane County works toward its sustainability goals, we can’t leave anyone behind. Real environmental progress happens when clean energy and climate resilience work for everyone, not just those who can already afford it. Because here’s the truth: we won’t solve climate change if we ignore the people who are already feeling its worst effects.
For information about energy assistance resources in Lane County, contact Catholic Community Services at (541) 345-3628 or visit ccslc.org.
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