In 2020 about 2.3 billion people lacked access to safe, affordable, and clean sources of energy for cooking. In this article, I focus on one aspect of this problem: the gendered distribution of the costs associated with the collection and use of polluting fuels. The collection, preparation, and use of firewood, crop residues, and animal dung sum to an arduous,
Energy insecurity manifests itself in many dimensions. One of the most harmful forms is the inability to maintain the desired temperature of a household. The term thermal comfort describes a person’s state of mind in terms of whether they feel too hot or too cold.1 Whether at home or at work, thermal comfort is an important ingredient in human health and
It is difficult to overstate the importance of education to human well-being. Education is central to meaningful work, higher incomes, good health, a productive economy, more equitable life opportunities, and a vibrant civil society.The World Bank has more than 30 indicators related to education, and the United Nations System Development Goal #4 strives to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education
In 2010 the United Nations General Assembly canonized the human right to water and sanitation through a resolution recognizing “the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights.”1 That declaration stems from the simple fact that safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene
Between 2.3 and 3.2 million people die each year due to illnesses caused by the inhalation of indoor air pollution.1 The principal source of that pollution is the combustion of solid fuels (wood, crop waste, charcoal, coal, and dung) and kerosene in open fires and inefficient stoves. Exposure to particulate matter and other pollutants impairs the functions of the lungs, heart,
Energy insecurity affects hundreds of millions of people around the world. People in rich and poor nations share some similar experiences caused by the lack of access to affordable, clean energy and efficient cooking and lighting devices. These include the financial challenge of paying for energy, health impacts, and social stigmatization. In other articles I explored thermal comfort, government assistance,
Weatherization is the process of protecting a home or building from the outside elements. Often this means insulating the home to reduce the effect of extremely hot or cold outdoor temperatures on indoor spaces. Weatherization includes air sealing, plumbing, recessed lighting, replacing doors, windows and insulation in walls, and the installation of energy-efficient heating, cooling, and lighting systems. These changes
The lack of adequate access to clean, affordable energy services diminishes a person’s quality of life along multiple dimensions. The economic impact is often measured as the energy burden: the percentage of household income that is spent on fuel and electricity. As applied in Europe and the United States, energy burden is typically measured by the total spending on household
Several metrics indicate that American energy poverty programs fall short of what’s needed.
Key Concepts Infectious and non-communicable diseases impact marginalized and socially vulnerable populations at disproportionate rates. In the United States, differences in illness and death rates due to COVID-19 align with differences in income, class, race, ethnicity, gender, and other and other social conditions. Hispanic, Black, NHOPI and AIAN people are from 1.7 to 2 times as likely to die from COVID-19
In 2020 about 2.3 billion people lacked access to safe, affordable, and clean sources of energy for cooking. In this article, I focus on one aspect of this problem: the gendered distribution of the costs associated with the collection and use of polluting fuels. The collection, preparation, and use of firewood, crop residues, and animal dung sum to an arduous,
Energy insecurity manifests itself in many dimensions. One of the most harmful forms is the inability to maintain the desired temperature of a household. The term thermal comfort describes a person’s state of mind in terms of whether they feel too hot or too cold.1 Whether at home or at work, thermal comfort is an important ingredient in human health and
It is difficult to overstate the importance of education to human well-being. Education is central to meaningful work, higher incomes, good health, a productive economy, more equitable life opportunities, and a vibrant civil society.The World Bank has more than 30 indicators related to education, and the United Nations System Development Goal #4 strives to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education
In 2010 the United Nations General Assembly canonized the human right to water and sanitation through a resolution recognizing “the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights.”1 That declaration stems from the simple fact that safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene
Between 2.3 and 3.2 million people die each year due to illnesses caused by the inhalation of indoor air pollution.1 The principal source of that pollution is the combustion of solid fuels (wood, crop waste, charcoal, coal, and dung) and kerosene in open fires and inefficient stoves. Exposure to particulate matter and other pollutants impairs the functions of the lungs, heart,
Energy insecurity affects hundreds of millions of people around the world. People in rich and poor nations share some similar experiences caused by the lack of access to affordable, clean energy and efficient cooking and lighting devices. These include the financial challenge of paying for energy, health impacts, and social stigmatization. In other articles I explored thermal comfort, government assistance,
Weatherization is the process of protecting a home or building from the outside elements. Often this means insulating the home to reduce the effect of extremely hot or cold outdoor temperatures on indoor spaces. Weatherization includes air sealing, plumbing, recessed lighting, replacing doors, windows and insulation in walls, and the installation of energy-efficient heating, cooling, and lighting systems. These changes
The lack of adequate access to clean, affordable energy services diminishes a person’s quality of life along multiple dimensions. The economic impact is often measured as the energy burden: the percentage of household income that is spent on fuel and electricity. As applied in Europe and the United States, energy burden is typically measured by the total spending on household
Several metrics indicate that American energy poverty programs fall short of what’s needed.
Key Concepts Infectious and non-communicable diseases impact marginalized and socially vulnerable populations at disproportionate rates. In the United States, differences in illness and death rates due to COVID-19 align with differences in income, class, race, ethnicity, gender, and other and other social conditions. Hispanic, Black, NHOPI and AIAN people are from 1.7 to 2 times as likely to die from COVID-19
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