Lung Health News, Spring / Summer 2000
Sick of air pollution caused by gasoline-powered vehicles? Californians can help fight air pollution by finding alternatives to smog-producing gas-powered vehicles such as driving electric vehicles and riding their bikes or taking mass transit whenever possible. The American Lung Association encourages Californians to "Charge Forward in the Fight Against Air Pollution with Electric Vehicles." The association works to build public attention on the health effects of air pollution and what individuals, companies and organizations can do to clean up our air.
Air pollution is a major contributor to lung disease and a serious threat to public health. People with lung disease are especially impacted by air pollution, and more than 4 million Californians suffer from lung disease. Ozone alone causes nearly 10 percent of hospital visits for respiratory illness.
"Ozone can cause chemical burns on lung tissue and decreases in lung function," says John Balmes, MD, who serves on the American Lung Association's statewide Clean Air Technical Advisory Group and is division chief of Environmental and Occupational Medicine at San Francisco General Hospital.
The American Lung Association of California has been working to reduce air pollution and recently launched its ZEV (Zero-Emission Vehicle) Air Quality Project focused on making electric cars and other zero-emission vehicles a reality here in California.
Working with lawmakers and automakers, the association is encouraging legislators to maintain strong ZEV mandates and car companies to move forward with efforts to develop and aggressively market zero-emission vehicles including electric- and fuel-cell-powered cars. The American Lung Association is also educating the public about the health benefits of switching to ZEVs and encouraging consumers to continue demanding lower-polluting vehicles.
Low-Maintenance Electric Cars Emit Zero Pollutants
Today automakers are producing a variety of electric vehicles including an SUV, a station wagon, and even a sports car. Most electric vehicles accelerate just as fast as gas-powered ones.
"It's quicker than any car I've ever had," says Ed Begley, Jr., actor, environmentalist and American Lung Association of California spokesman, about his electric car. "It's also the cheapest car I've had in nearly 30 years. The reason? No gasoline. No tune-ups. No oil changes. It just keeps on going."
Recharging the battery of an electric vehicle is easy and convenient. A full recharge takes about five hours and it provides enough energy for some vehicles to travel about 150 miles, others require a charge sooner. For most commuters, electric vehicles offer a viable alternative because the majority travel less than 50 miles a day.
Charging stations can be found at many businesses including some Ralphs grocery stores, Costco stores and Hilton Hotels.
Taking into account the pollution generated to produce, recycle and dispose batteries, researchers report that electric vehicles create only 1 percent of the pollution generated from the cleanest gasoline vehicles. And even considering emissions associated with generating the electricity at power plants, in California electric vehicles are 90 percent cleaner than the cleanest gasoline-powered car.
Tom Dowling, 62, is a manager of desktop technology services who, along with his wife, has leased two electric vehicles, which they use for their 50-mile round-trip commute to work.
After analyzing the cost to lease his electric vehicles - about $400 to $450 each month - Dowling says at first it seemed expensive, but not now.
"Our electricity bill for charging is approximately $15 a month. So you have a known cost and it sounds high at first, but when you consider the total cost of ownership, it is not bad," he explains.
Hybrids Don't Satisfy ZEV Requirements
While electric vehicles are the only ZEVs on the road today, there are also hybrid vehicles. Powered by a small combustion engine and a battery, hybrids emit much less pollution than the average cars sold in the United States.
Auto manufacturers are making a big push for gasoline hybrid cars because they get good gas mileage, but the American Lung Association and other environmental groups are concerned because hybrids still pollute.
In 1990, the California Air Resources Board mandated that by 1998, 2 percent of autos produced and sold in California must be zero-emission vehicles. That mandate was weakened in 1996 and instead automakers were required to produce and sell 10 percent ZEVs by 2003. The mandate was further weakened in 1998 when CARB agreed to only require 4 percent of the total car sales to be "pure ZEVs," says Ken Smith, program manager of the American Lung Association of California's ZEV Air Quality Project. The remaining 6 percent of the ZEV mandate could be met by "super, ultra low-emission vehicles" and hybrids.
But the hybrids are not good substitutes because they use gasoline and require the continued expansion of gasoline and oil refineries, which emit air pollutants and toxic air contaminants.
Electric Vehicles Popular in California
Electric vehicles are viable transportation options, and are gaining interest across California. For example, you can rent an electric vehicle at the Los Angeles International Airport. EV Rentals offers environmental vehicles and shares counter space with Budget Rental Cars.
EV Rentals manager Terry O'Day says most of his customers are business travelers between the ages of 30 and 50 who have reservations for gasoline-powered cars.
"We encourage them to rent one of our environmental vehicles," he says.
The rates are comparable to other cars, but O'Day says his renters come out ahead because the fuel costs are included or very low.
Visitors and residents in other California cities can expect to see more ZEVs on the road as well. In Santa Barbara, electric buses and shuttles transport passengers without polluting the air. And the city has a budding fleet of electric trucks.
More than 400 U.S. Postal Service vehicles in California will be powered by electricity next year. And more cities are expected to pass ordinances that would increase the number of ZEVs on California roads.
In Fresno, the city council recently passed an ordinance that encourages the city to start procuring electric vehicles and other zero or low-emission vehicles.
"We had strong support from the farming industry because air pollution damages crops and lungs," says Chuck Sant' Agata, executive director of the American Lung Association of Central California.
In September 1999, San Francisco Supervisors passed a similar ordinance, which also requires the city to develop alternative fuel and electric charging infrastructures.
We Can All Make a Difference in the Fight for Cleaner Air
There is a lot individuals can do to support electric vehicles and other zero-emission vehicles. Test drive an electric car and consider making your next vehicle an electric one.
Californians are encouraged to make other lifestyle changes that benefit air quality and health, including: drive less, combine errands, and use electric lawnmowers.
The American Lung Association also works with the California Bicycle Coalition to encourage bicycling, the original zero-emission vehicle.
Companies, schools and organizations can take steps to reduce air pollution also, including: encourage employees to telecommute (work at home) and carpool, provide charging stations, procure electric buses and other zero-emission company vehicles, hold conference calls instead of in-person meetings, and promote biking to work by offering amenities such as bike racks and lockers.
