Electric cars, health and the economy

So, did you know my Dad reads all these emails?

And he also has an opinion on each one - he is a lawyer after all.

Fortunately, he's my biggest fan and so most of the time he just spreads the love. 

But when it comes to topics like today's, I already know what he's going to say... because today I wanted to talk electric vehicles. 

Particularly THIS sub - headline: "Electrifying 30 per cent of cars in Chicago could save $10 billion US annually, improve health"

The main issue with fossil fuel powered vehicles —especially cars, trucks, and buses— in urban areas are that they release nitrogen oxides, particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and carbon monoxide, all shown to increase:

• Respiratory illnesses: Fine and ultra-fine particulates, along with nitrogen oxides, cause and exacerbate asthma, bronchitis, allergies, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), especially in children and elders.
• Heart disease and stroke: Airborne particles from exhaust and smog heighten risks of heart conditions and strokes, sometimes leading to increased premature death rates in urban populations.
• Cancer: Long-term exposure to diesel exhaust and PM is strongly linked to increased risk of lung cancer and other cancers, with diesel particulates posing the highest cancer risk among air pollutants in cities.
• Worsening outcomes for vulnerable groups: Children exposed to vehicle emissions suffer higher rates of asthma and even childhood cancers, while elderly and those with pre-existing conditions (lung or heart disease) are more susceptible to harm and death from pollution spikes.

And according to this recent study, by simply getting to 30% e-vehicle adoption in Chicago, you would see a vast dip in associated diseases, particularly in marginalized populations.

To put this in perspective consider this - more people died from fossil fuel pollution in one year, than have EVER died from COVID.

And for the record, I believe COVID is real and me and my family all got vaccinated, I'm just saying it's wild that we're clinging to fossil fuels as our economic saviour, in light of the very obvious facts...  

It's as though the men in power are stuck in their ways, despite the evidence and economic benefit.

But stubbornness aside, my big question - and I know my Dad's - is not "will electric vehicles reduce pollution?" so much as, "how can we make it easier for more people to get on the train - or in the electric car so to speak?".  

Especially here in Canada where electric cars kinda die in the winter...

Well.... this is where I think things get interesting, because everything touches... (can't help myself).

You see, the President of the United States doesn't like that many cars sold in the US are made partially or fully in Canada and Mexico.  And we're starting to see some car manufacturing job losses up here in Canada.

Meanwhile, Canada is trying to ease trade tensions with China because we need to grow exports beyond the US.  

And one of the major problems China has with Canada is that - because of our close trading relationship with the United States - when the US slapped Chinese e-vehicles with a 100% tariff, Canada followed suit with a 100% tariff.