This week, I feel as though all of the readings came together in one way or another, however the Entergy article and the Thorsone et al. article, which discussed the role of digital communication in social activism. The digital communication article focused around social media, specifically, its role in raising awareness, organizing, and advocating for justice in regards to The People’s Climate March in 2014.
These two articles in particular stuck out to me in particular because I believe that they are tethered together. Prior to the Entergy reading, I had not looked into the specific consequences the gas plant has on New Orleans residents. I knew that the placement was unjust and naturally assumed that the pollution would cause a negative impact on the surrounding community, however some of the facts embedded within the article were truly shocking. I found the fact that low income households in New Orleans bear the second highest financial burden in the nation in regard to Entergy bills, with the corporation consuming nearly 19% of household income. Currently, low income households are struggling to keep up with the payments for Entergy bills, and as a result, are experience power shut offs. Not only is Entergy keeping New Orleanians in the dark both physically, but also in regards to the ways in which the bills could fluctuate; which, if raised, could exacerbate the already detrimental burden of Entergy bill payments.
I decided to look further into the impact of the Entergy plant, and saw a lot of information about it online. Here, is where I believe that the Thorsone et al. article comes in. As Twitter played a significant role in The People’s Climate March, I believe that social media can and has historically been the silver lining in regards to climate injustices. As referenced in the “Think 100” Podcast on Hurricane Florence, social media is a platform to connect, enlighten, organize, and educate individuals. I cannot wait to see how social media will play a role in the realm of backlash against the Entergy plant.
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