For many families, reducing their carbon footprint and having more control over their energy costs is simply not attainable. Why? Because of how unaffordable and inaccessible it is to install panels and set up the infrastructure for success.
This is a struggle that MFN member and founder of Citizens for a Sustainable Future Dr. Bruce Strouble knows all too well. He’s open about how the only reason he is able to afford solar panels is through net metering – which allows people of all income levels to install rooftop solar panels and share that clean energy with their neighbors.
Dr. Strouble believes that working class folks in Florida should be entitled to control over their energy bills. In Florida alone, 60% of rooftop solar customers live on less than $100,000 a year, which is made possible because of the net metering opportunities across the state.
Not only is solar a viable option to reduce our carbon footprint, it’s a more affordable one, too. Unfortunately, it’s corporations and private interest groups that push against legislation and regulation that would create cleaner, more accessible, and more affordable energy options for our communities.
Getting rid of net metering, Dr. Strouble argues, will shut out people of all income levels from the freedom to choose how they power their homes. This is the exact opposite of what is good for our environment and our communities.
“We need to push back against private interest groups that do not care about the average Floridian and continue to put profits ahead of the needs of communities like mine. Low-to-moderate communities face a heavier energy burden, and rooftop solar is how we can reduce it while accessing the benefits of clean, resilient energy.”
–Dr. Bruce Strouble, Citizens for a Sustainable Future
The facts are clear: 84% of Floridians support net metering and access to solar energy. Dr. Strouble and Citizens for a Sustainable Future agree that we should be creating more opportunities for people to choose solar and create a cleaner community – not fewer opportunities. It’s time to invest in a clean, resilient future for all.
Transitioning to clean energy is one step forward in building a more just and breathable future. Visit our zero emissions page to learn more about the MFN members across the country fighting for zero emissions.
Interested in learning more?
Click here to read Dr. Strouble’s op-ed about how we can move towards a clean energy future, and find out more about Citizens for a Sustainable Future by visiting them online at:
