I'm not saying Europe is perfect or that we're not, but after two (magnificently wonderful) trips there in the last few years, I feel that one thing they have all over us is cultural maturity. Of course, as with everything, there are benefits and shortcomings to both zeitgeists, the older and the younger. My focus just now is on the general, everyday attitude toward the environment, current resources, the past, and the future of all. They acknowledge the complexity of the interactions involved. For example, they have, for the most part, kept the narrow streets of their past and, instead of widening them, have learned to live with them. They drive small cars (i.e., they understand that bigger is not necessarily better; in fact, glitter and pretension are notably bad form). They take the metro (which goes everywhere). They walk a lot. There are easily accessible rental bikes and itty-bitty cars everywhere: rent one here, drop it off there.
I was reminded of all this by an email noting that Sept. 28-29 are, together, National
Plug-In Day, celebrating the electric car (and brought to us by the Nissan Leaf, among others): http://www.pluginday.org/
The site touts the advantages of this mode of travel, which of course made me wonder how the EV and hybrid are doing. One of the communities that has been making great efforts to reward plug-in owners is Santa Monica, Calif., but the results are, so far, less than promising: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/21/business/santa-monica-bets-on-electric-cars-but-consumers-are-slow-to-switch.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Which cars are the best sellers, and which are the best bet? (although the link title says "2010," the info is 2013): http://www.cleanfleetreport.com/top-electric-cars-2010/
No comments:
Post a Comment