Summary
- Back-to-school season brings sickness, leading to the writer catching the "Death Flu"
- Despite being sick, the writer purchased their first electric vehicle (EV) for day-to-day use
- The affordability of a used EV was surprising, and the writer found it to be financially beneficial compared to a gas-powered vehicle
- While driving an EV won’t solve climate change alone, it is a step towards a more sustainable lifestyle
- The EV represents hope and a small step towards reducing the impact on the environment in the face of climate catastrophes.
Article
As the back-to-school season arrives, so does a wave of sickness, commonly known as the “Death Flu.” The author finds themselves bedridden with the illness, reflecting on the irony that men may indeed be wimps when it comes to being sick. Despite this setback, the author managed to finalize the purchase of their family’s first electric vehicle (EV). While they will still rely on their trusty Subaru for winter storms, the EV represents a step towards a more sustainable lifestyle, especially for day-to-day driving around town.
The decision to switch to an EV was influenced by the author’s lifestyle as a writer living in the mountains. The EV offers the perfect solution for local commutes, while the Subaru remains parked for long-distance trips beyond neighboring towns. Surprisingly, the affordability of a used EV was a key factor in the decision-making process. Charging at home also proved to be cost-effective, with a “tank” fill-up costing significantly less than traditional gas-powered vehicles.
The author recognizes that driving an EV alone will not solve the ongoing climate crisis, as evidenced by recent natural disasters such as Hurricane Helene. However, it represents a small step in the right direction towards reducing one’s environmental impact. The symbolic value of the EV goes beyond transportation, serving as a beacon of hope in a time of uncertainty and environmental challenges.
The purchase of the EV aligns with the author’s vision of a high-mountain, cyberpunk writer’s bungalow, where sustainability and creativity intersect. Their home, equipped with tech and eco-friendly features, embodies the future they have always envisioned. The EV, silently navigating mountain roads, adds to this vision of a sustainable and innovative lifestyle that the author is striving to achieve.
Despite their excitement about the EV purchase, the author’s illness forces them back to bed, cutting their reflections short. They express a desire to delve deeper into their experience with the EV and navigating the charging infrastructure in the region once they have recovered. As they take a temporary break to recuperate, they hope that the back-to-school sickness will spare others from its effects.
Read the full article here