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Save money and lives by driving electric

Inflation and healthcare costs go hand-in-hand, says letter writer
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To submit a letter to the editor, e-mail michael.willcock@terracestandard.com. Include your first and last name, and your place of residence. Letters will be edited.

To the editor,

Record profits, inflation and healthcare costs: Do they all go together? Absolutely - YES!

First of all, those record profits of the oil companies come out of our wallets and are increasing inflation, as well as lining the pockets of executives with million dollar bonuses.

But what does have to do with healthcare cost? Well our use of oil, gas and coal increases air pollution and resulting in 2.7 million asthma symptom days and 35 million acute respiratory symptom days per year, and in over 15,000 deaths per year in Canada, as well as costs to our economy of over $120 billion per year, (2016 CAD) or $ 120 billion to our economy — six per cent of the 2016 GDP.

So what can you do to reduce your own costs, save money and reduce the strain on our healthcare system? One example would be to drive electric, no more tail pipe emissions, reductions in cost for ‘fuel’ as little as 25 per cent, on more price gouging at the pump, and pollution reduction.

What about the electricity needed for driving? An electric vehicle can drive as much as 45 km for the same energy that is used for a block heater, car warmer, to keep your gas or diesel engine warm in winter, before driving, in places like Smithers, Prince George etc. All those places have plug-ins for block heaters, they can be used for level 1 charging.

Level 2 charging is equal to using your dryer for one hour and will give also 45 km, level 3 - 45 km in 10 minutes, all for the same 10 kW, or costs of $1.50. Can you remember ever being able to drive 4,500 km for only $ 150?

And not only that, but it won’t rob your wallet anymore, nor will you add to those hefty bonuses of those executives, and at the same time reduce the strain on our healthcare system, and help save the lives of over 15,000 people per year, and reductions of all all those other healthcare costs related to air pollution.

Martin Holzbauer

Thornhill, B.C.

READ MORE: Electric vehicles: Let’s look at the facts and data


 


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