With climate change-amplified wildfires and power shut-offs becoming commonplace, all Californians are worried about how to stay safe and keep the lights on. Thousands have already purchased dirty, dangerous and noisy fossil fuel generators that exacerbate air pollution and climate change.
New research suggests that polluted air is linked to higher COVID-19 death rates. And coronavirus is expected to be with us through the 2020 fire season. Is it a good idea to add tons of dangerous particulate matter to the air we breathe during a pandemic that attacks the respiratory system? Of course not.
To secure a healthier, climate-friendly solution, we must first understand a major failing of our current system: because private utilities can profit from building a vast network of transmission lines, they are not motivated to pursue cleaner, modern solutions that could reduce the need for those lines.