Air quality across California has visibly improved with fewer drivers on the road because of stay-at-home orders. But when the orders are lifted pollution will likely return to pre-pandemic levels.

Some scientists say we don’t have to go back to having such poor air quality in the state, but they recognize it will take a total mindset change for Californians. The number of miles driven in the state has dropped by around 75% since stay-at-home orders went into place and has resulted in a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, said UC Davis Road Ecology Center director Fraser Shilling.

“We're learning new things about our driving behavior … can we both mitigate the harm from COVID-19 and also mitigate the harm that we cause by burning fuel and causing climate change?” Sterling questioned after analyzing data from Streelight.com. 

Nationally he reports there was a reduction of around 74 billion miles traveled in the U.S. from early March to mid-April. That resulted in a greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 4% nationally for 2020 and by 13% from transportation in about eight weeks. 

If this continues, Shilling says, the reduction of miles traveled could drastically impact our climate goals for the better, including putting the nation on track to meet its annual greenhouse gas reduction goals under the Paris Climate Accord.

He says it’s an interesting position for the federal government to be in where the lack of driving allows the U.S. to meet the goals of the “Paris Climate Accord, and on the other hand, inadvertently exceed the goals ... It's a cool green lining.”

California has a 2050 goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% from 1990 levels. Shilling says if traffic remained at stay-at-home levels for a year, the drop in miles traveled would allow the state to meet half of its climate target by 2050.  

The rest of the reductions would come from all sectors of the economy including transitions to bioenergy, offshore wind power, and increased energy storage. A 2019 study highlighted by Stanford University from the group Energy Futures Initiative says meeting the 2050 goals will be “extremely challenging.”

“It's painful to drive less and have less economic activity,” Shilling said. “But when we drive less, and when we work at home, we can start to meet these climate change goals. They're not so far out of the way, out of bounds that we can't achieve them.”

But Shilling says there are negative aspects, depending on how you look at it, including potentially $370 million less state fuel tax revenue.

“The upside for drivers — like I filled my tank a month and a half ago — is we're not spending as much on fuel,” Shilling said. “The less fuel that's sold, the less fuel tax revenue … that money is not available for transportation projects.”

Could California keep its cleaner air?

Researchers at UCLA are taking this idea further. A study came out this week saying that California has all the policies and technology to stop all human-caused emissions by 2050. 

“We think there is a room for California to achieve that goal ahead of the game,” said Yifang Zhu, one of the authors of the peer-reviewed study published in the journal Nature Sustainability. 

The authors call for increased energy efficiency across all sectors and reducing emissions from energy creation as the core ways to reach the sped up goal. That would mean a “systematic change” in how Californians consume energy and “more stringent” policies.

“We're talking about 85% electrification rate in the residential and commercial sectors, which we’re not even close to [today],” Zhu said. 

Achieving carbon neutrality is part of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s mission to limit the rise in global temperature to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial levels by 2100. 

Zhu says, “nothing in our model in the roadmap is something unrealistic” even at a half a century ahead of the global goal. Doing so would mean fast tracking the state’s existing goals and their models show that by 2050 the savings from curbing emissions will exceed the cost by around $109 billion.

“We need to do more than what we're doing today,” Zhu said. “I want to highlight the cost is actually only 50% compared to the monetary benefits and also want to communicate the urgency for California agencies for stakeholders and policymakers to really act.”

Zhu says, even though the study started before the pandemic began, there’s a lesson to be learned from the COVID-19 crisis. 

“It is cheaper and safer to prevent people from catching and spreading this Coronavirus, then to treat huge numbers of severe cases,” Zhu said. “Similarly [with] climate change it is much better to cut down greenhouse gas emissions to prevent global temperature rise than to figure out how to deal with the potential future catastrophic consequences.”

The authors also note the state’s most disadvantage would benefit. According to the study, the state’s top 25% most polluted census tracts would get 35% of the health benefits of improved air quality. It could also, the study says, have a health effect of 14,000 fewer deaths from air pollution related illnesses every year, it could reduce asthma attacks in 1 million children and decrease cardiovascular hospital admissions by 4,500.

“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our state will not only slow down global climate change, but more importantly, will improve the air quality and protect people’s health in our local community,” said co-author Bin Zhao, a former UCLA researcher who is now an earth scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 

Experts:

Sarah Jaquette Ray - Author, A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Your Cool on a Warming Planet 

Paul Smaldino - Assistant Professor of Cognitive Science at UC Merced. He studies the interaction between individual behavior and social organization, with a perspective rooted in evolutionary ecology and complex systems.

Holly Martinez - Director of Programs and Advocacy with the California State Parks Foundation.

Kathyrn G. Kietzman - research scientist at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Emphasis in elder health. 

John Swartzberg - an infectious disease specialist at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health.

How to find meaning within this crisis and how to fight off anxiety

Make a list.

That’s the advice Sarah Jaquette Ray is giving people who are dealing with anxiety because of the pandemic. The list should include all the things that are going well, because it will hopefully lift you out of the mundane. 

“Every morning I try to write down a couple of things that I'm going to look forward to that day,” Ray said. “Even if it's as simple as like making lunch for my kids or something dumb like calling my mom … it kind of marks points in my day that are a little bit more redolent with meaning for myself.”

The goal is to milk the value out of what we can control in our lives, Ray said. She recently wrote a book about climate anxiety and she says COVID-19 isn’t too different. 

“Climate change is going to unleash a lot more pandemics,” she said. “There's a direct kind of scientific connection. But in terms of the immediate threat that we feel with COVID, most people don't really feel that with climate change.”

She says people should see pandemics as part of climate change. But she says not to get too caught up in that and think about ways to overcome anxiety. She recommends only consuming media so often, because it can be overwhelming, disruptive and confusing for people.  

“We should be really thoughtful about the media that we consume and be quite disciplined about that because the media that we're consuming is known for trying to capture our negative attention,” she said. “We are also more inclined neurologically to focus on negative news … so we really need to be deliberate about the media that we consume.”

Lastly she says people should focus on what they can control because “that will distract us from a lot of the anxiety and worry, which is going to be there anyway.”

Precautions moving forward

With so many recommendations out there from local, county and state leadership, CapRadio decided to ask public health experts about how to go about life as the economy reopens. 

John Swartzberg, an infectious disease specialist at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, says it can be hard to know what to do because there is no recent playbook on how to deal with the pandemic. 

“So the next best thing is to turn to people who are making decisions based upon good solid data as opposed to the kind of information we're getting out of the White House,” Swartzberg said.

He applauds how California dealt with bending the curve and he says “we can’t shelter in place forever,” but going back to work may mean a second wave of transmissions. As the pandemic lingers and some people return to their jobs he says it’s still important to socially distance, to use masks and to wash your hands. 

“I worry that people think that if they're wearing a mask, they don't have to be very careful … and that's not the case,” he said. “The mask will help prevent somebody else from transmitting it to you.”

But he says California hasn’t tested enough people and that “without rigorous testing, we may see the curve starting to go up, then we immediately have to pull back.”

Swartzberg reiterated that the virus is still here and we don't know what percentage of the American population has already been infected with it.

“Our best guesses are somewhere between 3 and 5%, which means there's somewhere between 95 and 97% of the American population still susceptible to this virus,” he said. “Nothing has substantially changed since this pandemic began. Nothing.

“It's hard to believe it won't happen, that people are going to get infected in large numbers again.”

Paul Smaldino, a professor who studies collective social behavior at UC Merced, is also concerned a second wave could take place. He recommends taking any precaution you can because this is about protecting each other. 

“Wearing a mask is going to dramatically decrease the chance that you infect someone else; and I think that framing often gets lost,” he said. “You should also think about the fact that if you're sick, you have a responsibility to other people to not infect them. Not just because you're a nice person or whatever, but because we are all part of a society.”

He recognizes needs are different for each community. For example, a rural town might need different rules than a metropolis.

“We also need to remember that we're connected, right?” he questioned. “Just because you live in a low population area doesn't mean you don't have the possibility of infecting someone or being infected by someone in a high population area, even if you yourself aren't going between those areas [because] people still travel.”

How do vulnerable communities move ahead? 

CapRadio also received a lot of questions about seniors and disadvantaged communities that are more prone to catching COVID-19. Some said they’re “scared about more infections and the disproportionate impact on people of color.” Others have illnesses or are of an age that make them more vulnerable and are “not not sure when it will be actually safe to go out or when can we allow family members to visit?”

Kathryn Kietzman studies elder care at UCLA and says it’s very important that vulnerable communities take extra precaution. That may mean staying indoors a lot longer than everyone else. 

“I think that seniors and people of all ages with health conditions need to really proceed with caution and to not assume that because things are starting to open up that means we're free and clear,” she said. 

Because there's so many unknowns, like when a vaccine will be available, she says it’s important for seniors and their loved ones to stay the course.

Kietzman says “it’s a big risk to” open up the economy, because “you can't bring back a life. So, for me, the scales need to be balanced toward protecting and saving lives at all costs.”

For anyone dealing with sickness or 65 years of age or older she recommends talking to your doctor before you follow any order saying you can leave your home. 

“They may be able to help you without you having to leave your home to get evaluated,” she said. “Seniors and others with underlying health conditions that need attention, need to consult a doctor … to find out what can be done in response to their immediate health needs.”

She says it’s still very important to keep seniors in mind and to help them, because they will most likely be the last people to undergo a lifting of stay-at-home orders. 

“If stores are opening up that weren't open before, and an older adult has a need for something, enlist a family member or enlist a caregiver to get those things,” she said. “I would still recommend staying as close to the original stay at home guidelines as possible.”

For any seniors needing someone to chat with she recommends calling the Friendship Line. It’s a 24-hour hotline designed for older adults to have someone to reach out to when feeling anxious or to get information. That number is 1-888-670-1360

Is it safe to go out into the natural world?

Californians love the outdoors. It’s been hard for many to shelter-in-place when some of the best trails, parks and beaches in the world are so close by. 

CapRadio listeners who enjoy the outdoors or live in rural areas are concerned as well. They are worried about people bringing the coronavirus to places like Lake Tahoe, which could have lasting effects on the economy there.

There’s been a lot of confusion, or desire, about where people can recreate during the shelter-in-place orders. Holly Martinez, director of programs and advocacy with the California State Parks Foundation, says that’s because “most Californians don't typically understand the difference between a city, county, regional, state or national park.”

Martinez’s advice is simple. Check to see if the area you want to visit is open before you leave. And if you’re sick stay home no matter what the order for your area is. 

“Don't go outside — that is a really important thing — even if you have face covering or gloves, it's just better to be safe than sorry to not expose other people to whatever illness you might have,” she said.

If you are feeling well and choose to hike a trail or visit a beach she says only go with the people you live with. 

“Don't take that risk to expose others who might be carrying the virus and not even know it,” she said. 

When people go outside she recommends wearing a mask and gloves, especially when visiting areas with lots of people. She also says to bring hand sanitizer and lots of water because fountains will likely not be running.  

When hiking, visiting a park or laying out at the beach she says to stay six feet away from people and to make sure your presence is known.

“If you're approaching somebody, simply say hello and move aside giving the other person six feet of space to move by,” she said. “Just be courteous … and be very communicative about your presence so that people are clear that you're there and that we're respecting each other's space so that we can all enjoy these incredible places.”

CapRadio's Helga Salinas contributed to this report.

Democratic presidential candidates Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Former Vice President Joe Biden held dueling rallies in Reno and Carson City Wednesday night. California U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris is due in Nevada today.

In a conversation yesterday with CapRadio’s Capitol Bureau Chief Ben Adler, host Beth Ruyak talked about recent changes in California poll rankings of the top candidates: Warren, Biden, Harris and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders.  These trends are mirrored in national poll trends, with Warren surging and Harris falling behind.

In the “State of Resistance” currently known as California, Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Xavier Becerra are keeping up the pressure, filing lawsuits against the Trump administration. With the end of the legislative session, Ben and Beth also talked about stylistic differences between Newsom and former Gov. Jerry Brown. Newsom is focused in many areas at the same time, including the battle with the federal government. Brown was focused on a smaller number of concurrent issues.

And, finally, we discuss the state of the Republican party in California.

In this edition of CapChat, we’ll round up the last week’s fire news, the role Gov. Gavin Newsom has played as citizens’ advocate for those affected by successive power shut-offs, while repeatedly publicly blasting PG&E for lack of investment and not managing vegetation to prevent wildfires. Newsom has also said part of the problem has been a “cozy relationship” between the California Public Utilities Commission and PG&E. In addition, Newsom has suggested if the CPUC doesn’t do what he wants it to do with respect to PG&E, he’d try to remove commissioners. 

CapRadio’s Capitol Bureau Chief Ben Adler will talk about the history of the PUC and why commissioners have fixed terms of six years. He’ll also talk about the controversy around AB5 and the effort to put a measure on the 2020 ballot about the gig economy and more on how the November 2020 Ballot is shaping up.

Clarification: CPUC Commissioners serve a 6-year fixed term. Though they are appointed by the governor and must be confirmed by the Senate within one year of their nomination, they cannot be fired. A CPUC Chair/President is also appointed by the governor, and can be removed from that role by the Governor. That person, however, can stay with the PUC as a Commissioner for the remainder of their 6-year term.

With the Nevada caucuses in February and California now a Super Tuesday state, the visits of presidential candidates are increasing in frequency. Just yesterday, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was in Stockton and San Francisco. Bloomberg’s San Francisco appearance was with former California Gov. Jerry Brown.

CapRadio’s Scott Rodd spoke with Bloomberg in Stockton, and CapRadio’s Bert Johnson had an interview with Warren in Reno. They fill us in on the visits and what the candidates had to say.

We’ll also explore California’s individual mandate for health insurance coverage with CapRadio’s Health Care Reporter Sammy Caiola. 

A new rent control ballot measure would permit local governments establish rent control on buildings over 15 years old and allow landlords to raise rents by no more than 15 percent every three years. This new initiative mirrors one that failed in 2018.

The move to unionize child care workers: there was a rally yesterday at the Capitol where workers delivered over 8,000 union cards. This number of cards qualifies workers to hold an election to form a union. Their union would allow collective bargaining with the state for health care benefits and funding for training, as well as the ability to negotiate wages.

Guests

• CapRadio State Government Reporter Scott Rodd