Founded by formerly enslaved people after the Civil War, Union Heights now faces a new fight—reclaiming its future through sustainable housing, despite a federal freeze on environmental justice funds.

Faith communities across Georgia are leading the way in solar adoption, driven by a commitment to environmental stewardship. With support from groups like Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL) and new federal incentives like direct pay from the Inflation Reduction Act, nearly 30 congregations have gone solar. These efforts help reduce energy costs, increase resilience, and demonstrate the power of collective action. Despite policy and infrastructure challenges, these communities are showing how solar energy can align with values and create lasting impact.

Glades County embraces electric school buses to improve student health, lower emissions, and honor the land that defines this tight-knit Florida farming community.

From a motorsports park going solar to a police chief embracing EVs, and a conservative county going electric, individuals and communities across the Southeast are embracing clean energy.

State economies and Southeastern residents are benefitting from clean energy policies that create good-paying jobs, lower our power bills, and improve our environment. But these policies are at risk.

In 2024, the global auto market grew by 25%, and nearly one in five cars sold globally is now electric. A record 1.3 million EVs were sold in the US, a 7.3% year-over-year increase that outperformed the 2% increase in nationwide sales of gas vehicles. Automakers are offering an increasing number of EV models to compete in this rapidly expanding global marketplace. 

Increasingly, electric vehicles (EVs) are in the headlines with a politicalized slant, and misinformation about the technology and the state of the EV market is rampant. But beyond the noise are the facts, which show that the Southeast’s EV market is zipping along.

Lena from Virginia made the switch to an EV in 2022 and hasn’t looked back. From home charging to winter road trips, she’s learned that driving electric is easy, fun, and a smart way to cut carbon emissions.

In the wake of Hurricane Ida, Louisiana residents were left without power for weeks, exposing the deep vulnerabilities of the state’s energy infrastructure. But instead of waiting for solutions from the top down, a coalition of churches, nonprofits, labor unions, and community organizations took matters into their own hands. Together Louisiana launched a groundbreaking initiative to create the largest nonprofit-driven, community-owned energy resilience network in the world.

Heather from Virginia switched to an EV in 2017 and hasn’t looked back. From daily commutes to home charging, she loves the convenience, savings, and impact—plus, she’s helped convert skeptics along the way!