Nearly 30% of climate-damaging emissions nationwide come from transportation. Switching to electric cars and powering them with clean energy like solar and wind will slash our emissions and help us avoid the worst effects of climate change.
Getting serious about tackling the climate crisis means getting around without burning fossil fuels. Unfortunately, most cars and trucks still run on gasoline, which pollutes both our air and our climate. In fact in New England, the exhaust from cars, trucks, and buses accounts for more than a third of our climate-damaging emissions. This needs to change. Vermont needs to put at least 50,000 electric cars and trucks on the road by 2025 to meet the goals set forth in the State’s energy plan. With only around 3,000 on the road right now, we are far from on track to get there.
“Combatting climate change means we have to break our dependence on fossil fuels and go electric,” said Staci Rubin, Senior Attorney at CLF. “Traditional buses are a menace, spreading toxic pollution in our communities and making people sick. These buses are a good first step in the MBTA’s promise to provide a 100% electric fleet, and that transformation needs to happen much faster than is planned.”
Air pollution poses a serious threat to our health, and the emissions from cars, trucks, and buses are some of the most dangerous. In Massachusetts, this pollution does not affect all communities equally.
