This month our area of challenge and opportunity is TRANSPORTATION! Here are our two recommended actions for March.
???? An advocacy action you can take to influence climate rescue policy:
Pledge to Make Your Next Car Electric ~ by Bruce Davis
Montgomery County is forming an Electric Vehicle Purchasing Cooperative to make EVs more affordable. The County has asked residents to help by pledging to make their next cars electric. The pledges will demonstrate public demand for EVs and enhance the Co-op’s bargaining power to negotiate good deals for consumers.
EVs are great not only for the environment; they are also great for your pocketbook and fun to drive. Evelyn and I have owned a Kia Niro EV for two years. It has no tailpipe emissions, requires no oil changes, and will go about 240 miles on a charge. Its fuel efficiency is equivalent to a gasoline-powered car that gets 112 miles per gallon, and its electric fuel costs much less than gasoline.
When enough of us switch from gasoline-powered cars to EVs, we’ll breathe cleaner air, and the County will have reduced a major source of heat-trapping greenhouse gases.
If you are willing to consider an EV for your next car, please make the pledge. You can do this online; just click this link to go to the County’s website: “Lead The EV Charge” – The First Electric Vehicle Purchasing Cooperative is HERE! – My Green Montgomery. The pledge is non-binding, so even if you aren’t likely to buy a new electric vehicle anytime soon, signing can help make it more affordable for others.
Some people might want to consider buying a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, i.e., an electric vehicle with a gasoline engine that powers the car if it runs out of electricity. Lindsey Shaw, the DEP’s Manager of Energy and Sustainability Programs, encourages people to make the pledge even if their first step toward a fully electric vehicle is a plug-in hybrid. Before buying an EV you’ll want to consider how to charge it. Charging is easiest for people who can install a charger at home.
We’d be happy to answer your questions about EVs – just get in touch!
???? A practical action you can take in your home, neighborhood or at the RRUUC building:
You’re probably not in a position to live car-free right now, but what about trying for one car-free day each week? If you commute to work during the week, can you combine errands on weekdays so that Saturday is a no-drive day?
If the kids have activities on Saturdays, can you send them with other families and leave your car in the driveway once a month?
If there’s NEVER a time that your schedule allows public transportation, biking or walking instead of driving… you’re probably a great candidate for switching to a cheaper, cleaner electric or hybrid vehicle (see above ????).
Or maybe this is the year to plan a trip by train or bus instead of plane or car. One less flight per year makes an outsize difference to tons of CO2 produced!
Learn more about RRUUC’s UUA Green Sanctuary recertification efforts here.
View our Green Sanctuary Covenant by clicking this link.
For more information about the EM, take a look at our Charter, linked here.
NEXT MEETING SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 11:00 AM
The Earth Ministry (EM) meets online on the 3rd Sunday of the month, beginning at 11:00. We start with quick check-ins and socializing since that time overlaps with the Zoom and in-person fellowship following the 10am service. EM business starts at 11:15 a.m.
The Zoom link for the meeting will be announced in the same email that brings you links for Sunday’s service. We aim to conclude by 12:00 when the Contemporary Issues Forum meets.
“Kermit the Frog” is a registered trademark of the Muppets Studio LLC. Used without express permission for fair use educational purposes.