As we sail into a new year and decade, we look to the future and evaluate our past to see how things can be improved.  When it comes to environmental sustainability, many people believe Alabama has a lot of soul searching to do. 

Birmingham ranked number 72 out of 75 when it came to sustainability efforts, according to The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s 2019 city clean energy scorecard. This means Alabama has a lot of room for improvement when it comes to providing clean energy, renewables, and doing more to help the environment in general. 

Even though Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin made promises in his campaign in 2017 to do more for sustainability, the city has no strategy in place. 

The fact that Alabama lacks in the areas of sustainability isn’t just hurting the environment. It also the pocketbook of every resident in the state. The lack of clean and renewable energy means that Alabamians pay more into their energy bills than residents in other states. This especially hits low income households the hardest, as they are bearing the burden of paying highest energy cost. 

Some are pointing fingers at Alabama Power, who they believe have the most to gain by ignoring climate and renewable energy problems. Not only does the company stand to make millions off of high energy bills, but they also charge a monthly fee of $5 per kilowatt for consumers who use solar panels. That adds up fast and discourages many homeowners from installing solar panel systems on their homes. 

It’s not just the energy companies but other parts of the city as well, such as waste and transportation, that need a plan in place to move forward with sustainability. 

There are some ways each person can contribute to help make Alabama greener and save money on their energy bills.Contact John’s Electric to find out what you can do.