Aloha Kauai. Next Wednesday, July 31 at 5 p.m. at Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall will be the KIUC’s annual meeting. However, this year’s will not be business as usual. This year we get to hear about the world’s fast acceleration to EVs (Electric Vehicles) and away from ICE cars (like the immigration guys? No, this stands for internal combustion engines), because of the Osborne Effect. Eh, you mean like Ozzy Osbourne? Well, no, but a lot of the lyrics in his song “Crazy Train” are fitting. Like: “I’m going off the rails on a crazy train” or “One person conditioned to rule and control The media sells it and you live the role.” Love that!
However, the Osborne Effect is just an economic thing that happens when a new product or technology is introduced too soon. Consumers/people will wait for the cheaper, safer, healthier, oh, and, BTW — they kinda drive themselves to buy as illustrated in the graph. In case of EVs you can see that. ICE or FFV (Fossil Fuel Vehicles) are on the way down. We see global sale of ICE cars crashing and EV’s skyrocketing or S-Curving! So, how does this help as a consumer or leader. If I know this, I have an advantage. I know if I get what seems on the surface a good deal may not be. I’m I telling you to go by a new EV car today? No. Am I asking you to consider waiting, because it may save you a lot of money, yes!
Once you “get this” as leader of any organization, this knowledge is power. For example, our honorable Mayor Kawakami and or county council may want to enact a temporary moratorium on purchase of any new ICE cars, trucks gas/diesel power anything until we can make sure there’s not a better product on the way on a short time horizon.
Obviously, trucks are here yet, but they will be soon two to three years and semis in about the same timeline, boats, inter-island flights are more of a five-year horizon.
Why are the cruise ships not plugged in while in port?
So, Steve, you said something about EV acceleration? Sorry, yes!
First, let me back-up just a sec and share two stories that fuel my anger and sense of urgency with Kauai’s EV acceleration plan: 1) My first close-up experience with Oil was when I was part of a small military organization known as the United States Marine Corps in The Gulf War I.
I participated in the liberation of Kuwait. Bummer was, Iraqi forces blew-up all the oil wells on their way out and many of us had to live in these burning oil fields for a little too long. My lungs still aren’t happy about it. Nearly 30 years later, my brothers and sisters in arms are still standing toe to toe with Iran. Why? Oil! Let’s, Snatch that damn rug right out from underneath their terrorist-sponsoring feet! Not kidding! You may have been thinking, “Oh, maybe I should thank this Steve guy for his service.”
You can thank me and every other service member a that’s made a sacrifice in the military because of oil, in one week from today by coming out to this “meeting” and get behind this movement! Ev’s? Yes, sorry, next was this awesome documentary recently put out by HBO called “Ice on Fire”. It’s free to watch! So, please watch it before the show down, sorry, meeting.
While I’ve been following climate change closely since the 90s, I was shocked to find out we only have about 10 years to implement massive change.
Sidebar: As a former social worker, I know people don’t like bad news; we “cocoon” to protect ourselves. Watching Ice on Fire busted me out of my cocoon. I cannot selfishly ignore this global crisis any longer. My warrior spirit has been activated and I’m ready for war! I am calling on others to join me: Active military, vets, first responders, mama and papa bears that love your kids. We should be terrified for our grandkids and the mess we are leaving to future generations! Get on the right side of this acceleration war, now!
This is also a social justice issue. Come on! What? How? Ninety percent of children in the world do not have clean air to breath. Let’s bring that idea home. Our homeless here on Kauai have to breath in pollution as they sit on the side of the road. Our kids and teachers are poisoned by exhaust pollution in the school drop-off lines. The holy scripture tells us to defend the fatherless and stick-up for the poor and ones without voices. My faith drives me too!
While this seems like some serious doom and gloom, there’s massive opportunity on the solution side of this issue. My dad always said, “Life’s not Fair; but, you can be part of the problem or part of the solution.”
At the showdown, KIUC’s CEO, Board of Directors, any elected officials (FYI, they’ve all been invited, at the county, state and federal levels.) and the public will be asked to pick a side. I’m for EV acceleration on Kauai, then, the rest of Hawaii, then the mainland!
Why, the cars are cheaper to own, this pushes power rates for all, they are safer. Fun to drive, fast, can drive themselves soon, and we, Kauai, have the chance to lead this! Let’s not blow this precious opportunity. Let’s do this!
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Steve Parsons lives on Kauai.
Sure, Steve…just export your emissions to KIUC and then gloat about your contribution to no emissions. What a hypocritical attitude.
RG DeSoto