The Presbyterian Church USA actively encourages all congregations to be good stewards of all our God-given flora, fauna, and natural resources. St Andrew is actively pursuing an Earth Care Congregation designation by the PCUSA, with your help, this is an achievable goal for 2021.
Good News: There is a promising new battery technology that uses only air and iron rather than the lithium used in traditional batteries.
Green Tip #24: Transportation accounts for over 30% of all carbon emissions. Depending on how much you drive your gasoline car, your private transportation may be the largest part of your personal carbon footprint. Most car manufacturers have pledged to stop making gas powered cars on or before 2035.
Have you considered purchasing an electric vehicle (EV)? If not, now might be the time to consider it because the tax incentives are very generous (Federal – up to $7500 and State – up to $2000). Here is a link for more information: EV Tax Credits Explained. Also, consider these cost savings:
- If you have solar, there is no cost for charging your EV (at $4.50+/gallon for gas, this is a significant saving)
- If you don’t have solar, the current cost of fully charging an EV with a range of 150 miles is about $7.
- PG&E has a rebate program for all electric cars (new or used) of $800
- There are no oil changes, no transmission maintenance, no alternator failures, etc. etc. Batteries in EV’s have a life expectancy of over 100,000 miles.
- Used EV’s are very affordable (this Fiat 500e cost less than $10,000). Note: you get the PG&E rebate but not the tax credits when you buy used.
Are you still unsure because of the limited range of a charge? Pay attention to how often you drive on trips that are 40 miles or less each week. You will probably find that, like the majority of families, your average car trips are well within the range of an EV charge.
Thank you, as always, for your interest! Starting in September we will be moving to a once a month format, we hope you continue to tune in and live Green!
Brought to you by the Mission Committee
