Seattle likes to call itself a green city. It gets nearly all its power from hydro and its publicly owned utility has been carbon neutral for years. But being green isn't only about clean power; it's also about who actually benefits from it. This question sits at the heart of the ACEEE State and Local Policy Database, which tracks how cities in America fare in their energy efficiency performance. According to the database, Seattle is in third place nationally in terms of its scorecard. Hidden among the many programs listed is one small figure: in 2021, the city's low-income efficiency effort reached just 376 households.
A little number with a big story
