Post Author's Photographer By Kristin Eggen June 2, 2022

With energy costs high and rising, fossil fuel execs and some politicians and pundits are claiming we need more domestic oil, coal, and natural gas in order to tame energy cost inflation. This is about as true as Brer Rabbit not wanting to get thrown into the briar patch. In reality, it is the volatile and global nature of fossil fuels that lead to inflation, community wealth extraction, and even recessions, according to an excellent new paper from the Roosevelt Institute:Energy Price Stability; The Peril of Fossil Fuels and the Promise of Renewables. For an audio version, listen to David Robert’sconversation with authors Lauren Melodia and Kristina Karlssonon the Volts podcast.


Kristin Eggen first came to the Winneshiek Energy District as a Green Iowa AmeriCorps member in 2015. Eight years later, she is thrilled to lead the grassroots clean energy movement in Winneshiek County. Kristin deeply appreciates rural communities, Northeast Iowa, community sustainability, and nonprofit management. She uses The Art of Hosting Conversations that Matter methodology and graphic recording services to drive strategic conversations around community sustainability, justice, fundraising, and nonprofit health.

Love this post?

Share it with family and friends.

Sign up for our newsletter.

Don’t miss these

Winn Board of Supervisors approves M2 Zoning for Data Centers

June 1, 2026

The rapid expansion of data centers expansion is impacting rural communities faster than many localities can regulate them. As data center development expands across Iowa, …

Balcony Solar is on the Rise, Not Yet in Iowa

September 2, 2025

Plug-in balcony solar arrays are beginning to attract attention in the US after rapid growth in Europe. The idea first gained traction in Germany, where …

Clean Energy Advocacy

July 2, 2025

Energy is a highly regulated and policy-driven industry. This is in part because it affects the livelihood of each person who flips a switch, drives …