How has California's energy usage been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?

As California, the United States, and the rest of the world struggle to cope with this unprecedented pandemic, the California Energy Commission has just released some interesting data that shows how, in California at least, energy usage has changed from normal.

The data reflects the changes since California's Stay-at-Home order took effect on March 19, 2020.

Photo credit: CEC

Key findings include:

Electricity Sector

• Compared to last year, weekday electricity demand declined by more than 4% in late March and 9% in April.
• Although residential energy use in 3 investor-owned utilities increased by 8.9 to 12.4 percent year-to-date compared to the same period last year, but, it was offset by reductions in the commercial and industrial sectors.
• Most of the demand reduction occurred between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Natural Gas Sector

• April natural gas demand was up about 6% to 12% compared to 2019.

Transportation Sector

• Gasoline production declined 47.5% during the week ending May 1 compared to the week ending March 20.
• Jet fuel production declined 68.3% and diesel production declined 33.2% during that same period.

EPA and US Customs stops shipment of illegal anti-virus disinfectants from Asia

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) just announced that they have stopped more than 7,800 illegal health products from entering the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and the San Francisco International Airport (SFO). 

Photo Credit: EPA

The products, such as the item Virus Shut Out, are not registered with the EPA and are being halted because the products are illegal under federal law.

Their safety and efficacy have not been evaluated and their instructions for use are not in English, another legal requirement. Additionally, on-line advertising for the products contain misleading claims about their safety and how well they work. As a result, they could threaten public health, a critical consideration during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“EPA takes our responsibility to protect Americans from fraudulent products seriously,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “EPA is increasing the number of approved disinfectants on the market while taking action to prevent dishonest actors from selling fraudulent and illegal items that do nothing to protect Americans from the coronavirus.”

"It is critical that people only use EPA-registered disinfectants and follow label directions for proper use," said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator John Busterud. "EPA will not tolerate companies selling illegal disinfectants and making false or misleading public health claims during this pandemic crisis."

“In the midst of this worldwide emergency, there are still those that would seek to take advantage by making false claims, scamming, and selling inferior products,” said CBP’s San Francisco Director of Field Operations Brian J. Humphrey.  “CBP’s primary goal is to protect the American public, and we will not allow unauthorized products such as these to enter the country.”

Illegal disinfectants being sold on Facebook, Ebay, Alibaba, and other sites; EPA asks them to stop it

Region 9 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that it has advised several San Francisco Bay Area tech firms that their platforms are being used to sell illegal disinfectants.

Photo Credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

In separate letters to Facebook, Ebay, Alibaba, Shopify, Qoo10, JoyBuy.com, Wish.com, and banggood.com, EPA advised the firms that companies are using them to market Coronavirus disinfectants and antimicrobials that do not comply with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

The products are marketed as being able to control, prevent, destroy, repel, or mitigate the Coronavirus, however, they are unregistered as required by law and appear to be making false or misleading claims. As a result, federal law forbids their distribution and sale in the United States.

“EPA takes our responsibility to protect Americans from fraudulent surface disinfectants seriously,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Earlier this month I met with online retailers and third-party platforms to ask for their help in preventing these impostor products from coming to market. Today, we are advising eight companies to take action against these dishonest dealers and immediately take these illegal products off of their sites.”

“Unregistered disinfectants can put consumers at risk, as they may be ineffective against the virus that causes COVID-19,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Susan Bodine. “EPA is working hard to stop the sale of these illegal products. We also urge consumers to see EPA’s list of approved disinfectant products, available on our website at epa.gov/coronavirus.”

“EPA is vigorously investigating fraudulent disinfectant sales to the public via online marketplaces,” said EPA Region 9 Administrator John Busterud. “Companies cannot sell illegal disinfectants and jeopardize our collective efforts to protect public health.”

For a complete list of EPA approved disinfectants: EPA-registered disinfectant products

Planet of the Humans - new documentary by Michael Moore and Jeff Gibbs calls out the environmental movement

Michael Moore (Executive Producer) and Jeff Gibbs (Director) have released their new documentary, Planet of the Humans, to YouTube for free viewing for 30 days. The new film is sure to prove controversial, particularly with those supporting the green movement.

According to Moore's YouTube account's description of this documentary,   "...we are losing the battle to stop climate change on planet earth because we are following leaders who have taken us down the wrong road — selling out the green movement to wealthy interests and corporate America. This film is the wake-up call to the reality we are afraid to face: that in the midst of a human-caused extinction event, the environmental movement’s answer is to push for techno-fixes and band-aids. It's too little, too late."

Additionally, Gibbs warns, "No amount of batteries are going to save us."

Here is a link to the full film:

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