EVs as a means to an end – not an end in itself

There is a lot of hype around electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States, and a lot of resources directed to bringing such technologies to the mass majority in President Biden's latest infrastructure proposal. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), "greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation account for about 29 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, making it the largest contributor of U.S. GHG emissions." So this is a step in the right direction as far as curbing carbon emissions. However, I urge Secretary Pete Buttigieg to lead our policymakers, decision-makers, and the general public – in the U.S. and globally – to see the expansion of EV technology as a means to an end and not as an end in itself. It is important for policymakers to see that the solution (to many issues) lies in reducing total vehicle miles traveled. The rapid development of EV technology should be depended upon in the interim while the faults of the past are mended. Transportation-related pollution is not a singular issue. Even if every vehicle was powered by clean and renewable energy tomorrow, there would still be particle pollution from brakes, tires, and roads – which are estimated to account for over half of all pollution related to road travel. And from a public health perspective, the mass majority of people would still suffer from poor health that is the result of a sedentary lifestyle and a deteriorated social fabric – ultimately products of the popularization of SOVs. I urge our elected officials to prioritize land use planning to put an end to practices that both necessitate vehicular travel in SOVs and degrade the natural environment (such as greenfield development and road-widening projects that lend to urban sprawl). We need more resources directed toward creating local economies, local food systems, and local transportation networks that are equitable, resilient, and self-sustaining. My request of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg during his tenure is that he promotes and elevates land use planning as a transportation and climate strategy, rather than a singular focus on reducing emissions by expanding EV technology and tightening emission standards. We need our elected officials to step up and actively promote transportation equity. We need them to lead a behavioral change and a shift in perspective. The health of our planet depends on it. (On that note... Have you ever thought about how irrational it is that policies and marketing campaigns have led to built environments that are only possible for the mass majority to navigate if they individually lug around thousands of pounds of metal and plastic as if it's a change purse?)