**If yes to Q49** What do you think your energy rights are? (Q49A)

The chart reflects responses to Question #49A from the Winter 2020 survey, which asked: “If yes to 49, what do you think your energy rights are?” This was a check-all-that-apply question, and there were 61 responses. The pre-structured options for this question were as follows:

• I have a right to electricity 

• I have a right to internet 

• I have a right to air conditioning  

• I have a right to clean water for bathing, cooking, and drinking - 18

• I have a right to heat 

• I have a right to choose my energy provider 

• I have a right to choose the source of my energy supply 

• I have a right to phone service

• I have a right to financial assistance for any of these services 

• I have a right to an itemized (breakdown of my) utility bill 

• I have a right to updated appliances, if I am a renter, so that my bills are affordable  

• I have a right to appliances and HVAC units that keep my living space healthy 

• Other 

The most common response was “other”, with 28 individuals selecting this option. When individuals selected "other", they elaborated, and their open-ended responses were thematically coded:

• Four individuals believe they have a right to gas
• Seven individuals believe they have a right to a constant and reliable supply of energy
• Three individuals believe that they have a right to affordable energy
• Six individuals believe that they have a right to enough energy to live a comfortable life/to have their basic needs met
• Three individuals believe that they have a right to clean energy
• Three individuals said "I don't know"
• One individual believes that they have a right to go to a Neighborhood Energy Center (NEC) for help
• One individual believes they have a right to a safe home

Twenty-seven individuals said “I have a right to electricity”, 18 individuals said “I have a right to clean water for bathing, cooking, and drinking”, 16 individuals said “I have a right to heat”, six individuals said “I have a right to internet”, four individuals said “I have a right to air conditioning”, five individuals said “I have a right to financial assistance for any of these services”, and three individuals said “I have a right to choose my energy provider”. Two individuals said “I have a right to phone service”, two individuals said “I have a right to an itemized (breakdown of my) utility bill”, two individuals said “I have a right to updated appliances, if I am a renter, so that my bills are affordable”, zero individuals said “I have a right to choose the source of my energy supply”, and zero individuals said “I have a right to appliances and HVAC units that keep my living space healthy”. It’s important to note that many individuals' comments spoke to multiple options in the pre-structured list. 

The data was produced by the Shifting Energy Demands in COVID-19 Survey - Overview, which was administered to 83 people over a fourteen week period between December 2020 and March 2021. Visit the Winter 2020 Shifting Energy Demands in COVID-19 - Survey Results page to view more data from our survey. The project is approved by Drexel’s IRB.