The ‘deep satisfaction’ found from driving an EV

I read recent negative guest opinions about electric vehicles and need to respond.

I have owned an EV for eight years. I bought it to extend the life of my 4WD truck by using a vehicle that didn’t consume gas for everyday chores and commutes, which is 90% of my driving.

It has been one of the best purchases I have made. It is virtually maintenance-free, quiet and fast. I have a sense of deep satisfaction when driving by gas stations. I charge it at home and have never used a public charging station.

I had a 30-year career working for U.S. land management agencies and can address misgivings about the damage of mining lithium.

In the U.S., the National Environmental Policy Act requires public input for mining projects on federal land. I have provided that kind of input to dozens of projects. If you provide input, your issues must be addressed and mitigated in the final environmental impact statement.

Do other countries have this? No. I realize that mining is not a pleasant subject for anyone who considers themselves an environmentalist. I bought an electric car not because this solution is perfect for the environment, but because it moves us toward a future where fossil fuels and the pollution they cause no longer have a stranglehold on our climate.

We can still join environmental groups, local ranchers and Native groups who have objections to lithium mining projects and help to mitigate mining impacts.

Mary Kwart / Ashland, Oregon