StreetTalk: exploring energy insecurity in New York City using a novel street intercept interview and social media dissemination method

Abstract

This study introduces StreetTalk, an original qualitative research methodology inspired by social media influencers, to investigate perceptions and experiences of energy insecurity among New York City (NYC) residents. Briefly, energy insecurity is defined as difficulty meeting household energy needs due to affordability, housing quality, outages and coping strategies. This present study employs dynamic short-form interviews with 34 participants from all five NYC boroughs of diverse economic, and racial/ethnic backgrounds. Thematic analysis of video-recorded interviews revealed six major energy insecurity-related categories: (1) conservation and trade-offs, (2) physical inefficiencies, (3) thermal agency, (4) response to the bill, (5) disappointment and distrust in energy-related authorities, and (6) desire for and barriers to clean energy adoption. These themes provide insight into NYC residents’ experiences with energy insecurity and are consistent with prior research. Beyond new scholarly insights, this study introduces StreetTalk, an innovative qualitative research methodology emphasizing rapid data collection and dissemination through social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube (@hotandcold_nyc). Taking advantage of modern technology and modes of communication, the research team was able to effectively break down barriers to academic research consumption as the videos achieved substantial engagement, with almost 200,000 views and impressions within the first year of launching this novel street-based data collection and social media dissemination campaign.