Analyze | Disaster STS Network

New York City's electricity patterns during COVID-19

Briana Leone

Annotation of

Daily electricity demand in New York falls about 13% after COVID-19 mitigation efforts

In response to

MICRO 2: How have public initiatives taken to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 (i.e. shelter-in-place) shifted energy consumption patterns? How has this increased or alleviated stress on extant energy infrastructures?

As outlined in this brief article by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, energy consumption by New York City alone has dropped significantly more than the surrounding areas. On a prima-facie observation, one could say the foregoing alleviates stress on the existing energy infrastructures. However, deeper analyses should consider the repercussions that demanding less energy may have on production, supply, and distribution, as well as transitions between larger and smaller electric microgrids. Given energy infrastructures in the United States are already vulnerable, can it be really said the pandemic alleviates stress on the existing energy infrastructures when everybody is connected to the internet and is generally using more technology at home?

Pay It Forward CSR

lucypei

Annotation of

Verizon Pay It Forward CSR COVID-19

In response to

How are corporations casting themselves as socially responsible actors within COVID-19?

Here Verizon presents itself as socially responsible by supprting small businesses with small grants.

Individuals are encouraged to support the "cause" of keeping businesses open. Businesses become like charities or a good to support with the dollars of consumers. The rest of Verizon's loans are "unlocked" with the shallow digital participation of using the hashtag #PayItForwardLIVE by viewers of the Verizon-sponsored living-room streamed concerts of famous artists.

Digital products that underly payment for small businesses (PayPal, Venmo, Square) are also portrayed as doing a social good by virtue of being platforms through which individuals can "Support" thier local businesses with gift cards, tips, and more.

Relatedly, in the USA Today article:

"The Small Business Administration program offers firms employing 500 or fewer workers low-interest loans to cover their costs while they're shuttered. But while the SBA has approved billions in loans since April 3, businesses point to a myriad of challenges in the PPP's rollout: technical glitches, an avalanche of requests, a lack of response, and an exhaustion of money." - so the Verizon grants as well as other grants are portrayed as heroically and competently stepping in to save small businesses, portrayed as the backbones of disadvantaged communities.