I live in a small village; there are around 500 residents. I've only lived
here for about 18 months, so I don't know everyone yet. As I got to
know people, one thing that surprised me was the poverty level
within such a small rural community. I am not sure why this surprised
me; rural poverty is widespread these days, but then. I found myself
thinking, they don't look poor, and I had to stop and kick my own
arse; what does poor look like? I was, of course, exhibiting bias. It's
never pleasant to make this discovery about yourself, but it is good if
you act on it.
However, one aspect that I found especially shocking was fuel
poverty. According to the Dimensions of Wellness chart (Smith), this
particular hindrance to wellness falls under the environmental,
emotional, financial, and physical dimensions. For example, if people
