Energy

Biden Admin Wants Your Blackout Emergency Kit To Include ‘Sustainably Sourced’ Utensils, Dinnerware

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Thomas Catenacci Energy & Environment Reporter
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The Biden administration suggested Monday that Americans include “sustainably sourced disposable utensils” in their energy blackout emergency kits.

The recommendation was part of a guide published by the Department of Energy (DOE) for helping Americans prepare for blackouts over the summer. The agency noted that blackouts can occur during extreme weather events like hurricanes and thunderstorms, which may knock down regional power infrastructure, or demand overload triggered by high seasonal temperatures.

“Have sustainably sourced disposable utensils and dinnerware on hand so you do not need to use water to wash dishes,” the DOE blog post, written by Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy official Scott Minos, stated. (RELATED: ‘Recipe For Blackouts’: Millions Of Americans Face Power Outages Thanks To Green Energy Transition)

The DOE also recommended that Americans have an ice chest and extra ice to store perishable food during a blackout, candles or oil lamps for light and a gallon of drinking water per day for each household member.

A giant recycling bin is pictured in Times Square in New York City. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Honest Tea)

A giant recycling bin is pictured in Times Square in New York City. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Honest Tea)

“Have a household disaster plan that you and your family can follow if something occurs,” the post continued.

Meanwhile, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), a U.S. regulatory authority, warned that residents of nearly 30 states are at risk of blackouts this summer in a recent report. The report said 15 states in the Midwest were particularly vulnerable to such blackouts.

NERC listed higher reliance on wind power and solar outages nationwide as some of the factors making states more vulnerable to blackouts.

“Some assessment areas … depend on substantial electricity imports to meet demand on hot summer evenings and other times when variable energy resource (e.g., wind, solar) output is diminishing,” NERC stated in the May 18 report.

The Department of Energy did not immediately respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

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