Welcome back to my RCL Blog! This semester, I will be diving in to a new topic focused on addressing a civil issue of my choice. I plan on centering my blog around ways both individuals and society at large can promote sustainability. Each blog post will focus on a new method of change to lower our individual carbon footprint, as well as the costs and benefits to each option and how they affect people’s willingness to adopt it.

I begin this series by introducing one mode of environmentally-minded change I am particularly passionate about: the societal shift towards driving electric. Most major car brands offer at least a hybrid model that utilizes energy from both electricity and gasoline, and more companies are even beginning to introduce fully electric models. The world is realizing the benefits of driving electric, but we’re not where we need to be yet, as electric vehicles only accounted for 2.6% of global car sales in 2019, according to the International Energy Agency. Consumers are moving in the right direction, though: electric cars reflected a 40% year-to-year increase in the global car stock from 2018 to 2019.  The direction we’re moving in as a global society is promising, and we need to stay committed to this transition now more than ever.

We need to adopt mass climate change action before it’s too late, and switching to electric vehicles is a great place to start. Personal cars are a huge source of carbon emissions. Cars and trucks account for nearly one fifth of all US emissions, while the entire US transportation sector, which also includes trucks, planes, and trains, produces almost 30% of all US emissions. These statistics reveal how detrimental traditional modes of transportation are to the planet’s future. Despite fuel-powered vehicles’ long, important history with America, now is the time to commit to change. Sea levels are rising, global temperatures are warming, and glaciers are melting. According to a United Nations press release, we only have 10 years to enact change before mankind faces irreversible catastrophic climate change. We must act fast.

Despite various arguments against electric vehicles, changing how we drive is one of the less intrusive forms of climate change. Without a doubt, the first company that comes to mind when hearing about electric cars is Tesla. Led by the innovative, influential genius Elon Musk, Tesla is leading the charge in changing how the world drives. Their ability to combine electric driving with style, technology, and pleasure is making the choice to go electric as easy as possible for consumers. Firstly, Teslas are safer with their autopilot and sensing capabilities that most fuel-powered cars lack. They also present unique technology features that draw in consumers and make driving electric cool. Additionally, their additional costs are less than those of a fuel-powered vehicle, as drivers don’t have to buy gas or spend as much money on costly repairs. Musk’s commitment to sustainability is admirable, and his meticulous blend of most consumers’ wants is drawing in lifelong customers.

Other arguments against electric vehicles are more economical, including concerns over the loss of jobs involved in car manufacturing. While it is a fair point, a societal shift towards electric vehicles would create many green jobs, which would likely be higher paying, too. There would likely be the need for factory workers, engineers, software developers, and researchers, especially as more electric vehicle brands emerge. Another economical concern is that electric vehicles are too expensive. In September 2020, Musk announced Tesla’s plans to introduce a $25,000 model–with new and improved features too–to be more competitive with fuel-powered cars and more affordable for consumers. The accessibility to electric vehicles may be an issue right now, but that will change in the very near future.

While no individual can single handedly tackle our planet’s complex climate issues, making small changes in daily behaviors can help mitigate the problem. Switching to an electric vehicle may initially sound like a drastic change, but there isn’t much changing at all. The theme behind this idea, and all of the other eco-friendly behavioral changes I’ll be discussing in future blogs, is prioritizing the well-being of our planet for future generations. If we can all do our small part to enact change, Earth will thrive for many years to come. The time is now.