EDITOR:
Here’s something sexy, fun and healthy you can do for climate change. It will also make you extremely appealing to the gender of your choice. OK, I exaggerate, but there’s nothing painful about what I’m about to suggest and it tackles the number one source of carbon pollution on P.E.I. - transportation. According to our government website, nearly 50 percent of P.E.I.’s carbon emissions come from driving.
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Here’s the idea: buy a plug-in hybrid car. A plug-in runs on electricity until its battery is used up and then switches to gasoline. Most of our driving is done commuting to work. With a plug-in hybrid, commuting might not use any gas at all. Zero emissions. But the gas engine is there when you want to run to Moncton.
A used 2017 Chevy Volt goes 80 kilometers and then makes the switch to gas. I see 2017 Volts available on Kijiji for a bit over $20,000 with low mileage. There are others.
I have never spent more than $7,000 for a vehicle. I am not wealthy, but I find this very tempting. I live in the country and drive a lot. I would probably save $2,000/year on gas. If I could swing the financing, I would also have a nicer car which would likely run for several years longer than the older cars I usually buy.
I realize that lots of people don’t have the money. Many people on P.E.I. could afford this. We are not prisoners of our climate fate.
Rob MacLean
Lewes
