With lights out in many offices and millions of people plugging in at home, residential power bills are soaring, even as overall electricity consumption slumps during the recession.
Lisa Vrooman with her boyfriend John Rock, dog Umar and cat Mochi. They love the high ceilings in their 650 square foot apartment, but keeping it cool is costly.Courtesy of Lisa Vrooman/Lisa Vrooman
Air conditioning is essential. And now that she and her family are at home all day during the pandemic, Ramirez's AC is running around the clock. "We have a very full house," she says."There's always a computer on and there's always an Xbox playing, and there's always a TV left on."Electric consumption offers a window into how families and businesses are weathering the pandemic. In ordinary times, home electricity use perks up in the morning as people wake up and start the coffee, then drops during the workday, when people leave for school, work and other activities.
"Cooling an office where you have 25 people is going to require less energy than cooling 25 homes," he says.Lisa Vrooman shares a tiny, 650 square-foot apartment in Philadelphia with her boyfriend, a dog and a cat. It seemed like plenty of space, she says, until they were all staying in virtually around the clock. Suddenly those vaulted ceilings were not so attractive.
"If you have no income and you now need to have your family there all the time, it's got to be expensive," she says."You're using your bathroom at home," she says."We're washing our hands more because we're told to do that. Like, every time we walk the dog, we come in and wash our hands."
Deutschland Neuesten Nachrichten, Deutschland Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
One food critic looks back on L.A.'s surreal pandemic summerCritic Patricia Escárcega looks back on L.A.'s long, hot pandemic summer.
Weiterlesen »
Ryan Reynolds & Seth Rogan Answer British Columbia Premier’s Call For Help, Urge Younger Citizens To Stop PartyingIn an attempt to get teenagers and younger British Columbia citizens to stay home amid the COVID-19 pandemic, B.C. Premier John Horgan enlisted some of Hollywood’s most notable Canadians for …
Weiterlesen »
From livestreaming to online shopping, more and more China jobs are going digitalSince the coronavirus pandemic forced millions of people to stay at home, teaching students online and selling directly to consumers via live video streaming has taken off in China.
Weiterlesen »
THE BIG MOVE: I work in Silicon Valley, but my job is now remote. I can finally live somewhere cheaper. Where should I go?We're helping people find out where they should move in our increasingly digital world. Our first column of THE BIG MOVE is out now! I work in tech in Silicon Valley, but now that I work remotely, I can live anywhere. Where should I go?
Weiterlesen »
Alicia Keys Is Finally Accepting Her Freedom, Womanhood & HappinessIn a new interview, AliciaKeys tells Billboard about how 'So Done' came together, celebrating ten years with SwizzBeatz and how she stays level-headed as a mother and artist during a pandemic.
Weiterlesen »