Extreme weather, high utility costs, and limited access to clean energy impact Georgians across the state. However, many sustainability advocates argue that rural communities are not often considered in decision-making and opportunities to combat these challenges. To help bridge this gap, sustainable building nonprofit Southface Institute and the North Georgia Conservation Coalition (NGCC) began hosting workshops across North Georgia in 2023 to highlight energy efficiency programs that are rolling out from federal and state agencies—and the potential impact of those programs on homeowners, renters, and local businesses.
The first event was held in Dawson County in the neighborhood where NGCC Founder Dr. Bette Holland resides. Located about 40 miles north of Atlanta, Dawson County has a population density of 127 people per square mile compared to 2,025 people per square mile in Fulton County. While U.S. Census data shows that Georgians in rural counties accounted for 21% of the state population in 2020, residents often face greater challenges with infrastructure, investments, and energy burden (the percentage of income spent on energy).
The Southface and NGCC workshop in Dawson County, and the two that followed in Rabun and Towns Counties, focused on raising awareness that more funding and support now exists to lower energy burden with new appliances, rewiring, weatherization, solar energy, and more. The 70 Georgians who attended these workshops gained new resources to identify money-saving efficiency opportunities in their homes and businesses. They also gained insights on how to actively influence energy decisions that impact their communities.
Coordinator of the Towns County workshop, Charlotte Sleczkowski, shared her thoughts on the impact of the community-based events: “Updating our homes is one of the last things many people ever think of, as they do not always appreciate the value of replacing and updating worn out and inefficient…
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