I vividly remember the first time I saw the brand-new electric vehicle charging stations in a Walgreens parking lot when I had just started high school. I knew that these would be the first of many new accommodations for the cool and sustainable technology of the future. I had grown up feeling anxious about environmental harm, but also hopeful that technology and policies would be developed to make the world a better place for everyone.
When it came time to choose a college major and subsequent career path, I felt that the only choice for me was to work on sustainability solutions. I didn’t want to work in an industry that would eventually be disrupted by climate change; I wanted to work on solutions that would anticipate and guide massive societal change. I wanted to explain the science to the general public in a language they could understand, which would inspire shifts in beliefs and habits like many other movements have. On a practical level, I also believed that jobs in this field would be stable and the opportunities would only grow over time. When I told my parents’ friends about my career plans, they would often respond by saying something like, “We need more people like you in the world!”
I eventually found myself researching the same new technology that had fascinated me many years ago, when I started as a policy research associate at Plug In America this year. Writing reports and blogs for the biggest audience my work has ever had has been truly exhilarating. For the first time, I am realizing my dream of amplifying solutions and helping to build the best possible future for people and the planet.
Now, one of Plug In America’s largest funding sources, a nationwide EV education program funded by the Department of Energy, is at risk. I am very worried about the future of our educational work, and I cannot stay silent while this program is threatened. EV education is needed more than ever to combat misinformation and disinformation and equip the ever-expanding demographic of EV drivers with the tools they need to purchase, charge, and enjoy their dream cars.
A guide to state policies for installing chargers at home. A deep dive into the facts about vehicle fires. An exploration of affordable and convenient charging options. These are just a few of the educational materials that I have worked on in my time at Plug In America. Our work is read by EV drivers, cited in news articles, and shared within the broader EV community. We cannot afford to lose funding for these vital sources of factual, thoroughly researched information. We also cannot afford to lose any of the talented professionals who produce this work with passion, optimism, and determination every day.
Building the future we want to see starts today. We won’t have the most advanced vehicles, pollution-free air, and a healthy climate unless we work towards our goals now. Today’s novel educational campaigns will be tomorrow’s regular dinner-table conversations. Our grant funding, along with other projects that are threatened by the Department of Energy, is a worthwhile investment in our future. The EV movement might be forcibly slowed down, but it cannot be stopped. Drivers will continue to choose EVs wherever they are available, and Plug In America needs to be there to educate and empower them to embrace the future fearlessly.
Jess Senger is a policy research associate at Plug In America and a recent graduate of the University of Chicago.
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