Recovery, Renewal, Resilience

Much of the focus on the environment has been on the burden societies put upon natural resources. However, a people-centered perspective can be more appropriate in some contexts with extreme weather conditions or water shortages. For example, consider:

• that greening energy can raise energy bills which puts cost burdens on people in lockdown. In one US city, energy bills can reach up to 50% of people's income. This puts personal finances at risk which can create other behaviours that adversely impact the environment e.g. eating cheaper foods from less sustainable/environmentally friendly sources
• that telling people the cost of energy to them can encourage them to use less. This can also improve their receptiveness to adopting energy-saving practices

This lesson was contributed by a Chief Resilience Officer in the USA during project data collection.