Bowling Green turns out to discuss Kentucky's energy future

On Thursday evening, a sold-out crowd gathered in the Corsair Distillery in Bowling Green for the first of six community dinner conversations about Kentucky’s energy future.

“We believe all Kentuckians deserve a seat at the table and a say in shaping our energy future,” said KFTC chairperson Dana Beasley Brown.

The event, called A Seat At The Table, was hosted by Kentuckians For The Commonwealth to gather public input about the best ways for Kentucky to begin a transition to a clean energy economy.

The diverse group of one hundred participants enjoyed a meal of locally grown food provided by the Pie Queen of Bowling Green and music from the local band Mud Blossom Special. After a brief presentation about Kentucky’s energy landscape, the program shifted to facilitated conversations at each table. 

Those conversations began with a chance for everyone to share a 3-minute story about some part of their relationship with Kentucky’s energy system. Then each table discussed three key questions:

• What is your vision for Kentucky’s energy future – and why?

• What do you think that will take? What would help?

• What are your best ideas to ensure that all Kentuckians can benefit from Kentucky’s energy transition and are not left behind?

Reactions from attendees

At the end of the evening, each table gave a brief report to the full group. Below is a sample of some of those comments:

“Our table had a bunch of farmers, so we talked a lot about the intersection between a transition to sustainable agriculture and our energy transition. Our food system is highly dependent on fossil fuels and toxic pesticides. So our vision for the future includes a shift to sustainable food production and sustainable energy.”

“We had a lot of people at our table who are originally from Kentucky’s coalfields, both in the west and the east. We also had some people who grew up in places with a very different energy mix. It was empowering to realize we are from such different backgrounds and all of us are ready for something new.”

“We talked a lot about the role that weatherization and energy efficiency can play. That’s what I do for a living, and I’m here to say that it is possible. We recently built a new 3 bedroom 1,200 foot home with a monthly energy bill of $6 it is so efficient.”

“I work with the local Housing Authority. This summer we plan to renovate a group of older, cinder block apartment buildings. They are not efficient to heat or cool, and they don’t handle moisture well. That leads to mold problems. We will insulate them and put in new drywall. After that I’m hopeful we’ll go a step further and add renewables. Because when we help residents reduce their electricity use, it benefits them and our housing authority. It’s a win-win.”

"It will definitely go down as one of the most profound KFTC memories I've ever had."
- Dana Beasley Brown

“I’m originally from Ashland in northeastern Kentucky. It’s on a list of the 100 most polluted places. In my view, we need a cultural transition just as much as an energy transition. Affected communities need to be able to participate and determine their own destinies. And we need to make sure that new clean energy jobs are created in the places that are losing jobs in the coal economy, not just in Iowa or other far away places.”

“As a young person, I feel so empowered to find that there are so many other people here focused on these issues. And I want to give a shout out for youth activists who doing incredible work.”

“Our table talked about the importance of showing up as clean energy voters in Kentucky, and exercising our power as voters to push for change in Kentucky.”

Many tables also mentioned the important role for our education system in supporting a transition to a clean energy economy. People urged K-12 schools to incorporate school gardens (“we don’t just need more gardens at our schools, we need more schools that are located within gardens”) and called for more ways for students to learn about sustainable energy options. Many comments also focused on the opportunity for Kentucky’s colleges, community colleges and universities to provide leadership – including by training young people for careers in the growing clean energy economy.

An ongoing process

Bowling Green’s event will be followed next week by Seat At The Table events in Hindman and Lexington, and the week after that in Covington. The final two events in this series will take place in late May in Louisville and Paducah. More information and ticket reservations are available here.

All of the public input gathered from these community conversations will inform a set of recommendations KFTC members will craft over the summer. Kentuckians may also provide public input through an online survey. Click here to take the survey.

A final report, called the Empower Kentucky Plan, will describe ways Kentucky can generate jobs, improve health, and address racial and economic injustice while also doing our part to protect our climate.