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I'm Dr. Anthony Liesiewicz and this is Climate Connections. Power outages can be especially dangerous for people with disabilities. They may need to refrigerate medicine, power medical equipment or mobility devices, or charge a phone so they can call a caregiver or doctor.
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We say access to power is access to life.
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Yet Erin Taylor of the nonprofit Upstream Access says the overwhelming majority of people with disabilities that her group surveyed said they did not have backup power they could use in an emergency.
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Most people are on a very limited income and so being able to afford the power devices, knowing which ones to buy.
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So her Oregon based nonprofit has stepped in to help. Over the past two years, it's given away more than 300 solar powered devices for free.
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And that might be lights, it might be a backup battery, might be a small solar panel, might be a phone charger.
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It's not a one size fits all approach. Her team considers each person's needs and any assistive technology they use before matching them with a device and teaching them how to use it.
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A lot of our work has to do with making sure people feel confident and they're able to kind of play around, get used to them ahead of time
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so they're prepared when extreme weather hits and the grid goes down. Climate Connections is produced by the Yale center for Environmental Communication. To learn more about climate change, visit climateconnections.org.
Title: How solar devices can save lives in an emergency
Host: Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz, Yale Center for Environmental Communication
Guest: Erin Taylor, Upstream Access
Date: June 3, 2026
In this episode of Climate Connections, Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz explores the vital role of solar-powered backup devices for people with disabilities during power outages—especially as these outages become more frequent due to climate change-driven extreme weather. He spotlights the work of Oregon-based nonprofit Upstream Access, which provides free solar-powered tools to those in need, enabling life-saving independence and preparedness.
The nonprofit has distributed over 300 solar-powered devices free of charge over two years.
Devices provided include solar lights, backup batteries, panels, phone chargers, and more.
Upstream Access assesses individual needs and technologies to find the best device for each person.
They also train recipients to ensure confidence and competence before an emergency hits.
The goal: preparedness before extreme weather or grid failures occur.
“We say access to power is access to life.”
— Erin Taylor [00:19]
“Most people are on a very limited income and so being able to afford the power devices, knowing which ones to buy…”
— Erin Taylor [00:33]
“A lot of our work has to do with making sure people feel confident and they’re able to kind of play around, get used to them ahead of time…”
— Erin Taylor [01:08]
This brief yet impactful episode demonstrates how equitable access to clean energy tools isn’t just about climate resilience—it’s about safety, independence, and dignity for vulnerable communities. Upstream Access’s work, as presented by Erin Taylor, offers a hopeful model for climate adaptation that centers the needs of people with disabilities.
To learn more or support the cause, visit climateconnections.org.