Fancy+Charging+Up+Your+Electric+Car+In+10+Minutes?

Mitigating The Causes of Car Pollution

> http://www.bbc.com/news/business-43285885 > [] > > > > >  //National Energy Act of 1978// - Ensures sustained economic growth while also permitting the economy time to make an orderly transition from the past era of inexpensive energy resources to a period of more costly energy. //Energy Policy Act of 1992// - This Act provides for improved energy-efficiency. It includes provisions to allow for greater competition in energy-sales and amendments to section 211 of the Federal Power Act. Source: First Article. Can electric cars become more popular?
 * 1)  **Article:** The first source was published by BBC on March 6, 2017. The second source was published by the North Carolina State Legislatures in September 2017 . Though the latter was posted more than one month ago, the issue discussed contributes heavily to the topic of electric cars and is a local example of government acknowledgement of environmental issues. Links:
 * 1)  **Summary:** The reports briefly describe the growth of electric and hybrid cars, as well as the financial incentives offered to those who purchase them. NC State Legislatures says, “ In May 2014, eight states released an action plan detailing an agreement originally announced in 2013 to put 3.3 million zero-emission vehicles ( [|ZEVs] ) on the road by 2025. The plan [...] calls for consumer incentives to promote ZEVs such as high-occupancy vehicle ( [|HOV] ) lane access and building additional charging stations.” Other incentives include: alternative fuel vehicle discounts, up to a 10% discount on insurance based on the provider, funding to private and public sector entities and individuals whose projects reduce diesel emissions, and tax breaks for hybrid and electric vehicle owners. By incentivizing the purchase and continued use of electric and hybrid cars, the state can reduce overall carbon emissions and advance the methods of transportation in our nation. Not only this, but the first article discusses how the use of electric cars can become far more feasible and realistic with the development of what is called a supercapacitor. The supercapacitor is essentially a kind of battery that previously could not hold sufficient amounts of energy to power a car electrically, but now can do so. With scientist Taavi Madiberk's research, described in the first article, supercapacitors can now hold significantly larger amounts of energy. With the funds from incentivizing electric car usage, further research can refine his findings.
 * 1)  **Relevance to APES:** The course’s stated objective is “ to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required [...] to identify and analyze environmental problems both natural and human-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them.” Given this objective, provided by College Board, it is inherent that students must be able to recognize community-level solutions to globally significant environmental issues. The locality of the stated matter is a clear example of areas for improvement nearby, where citizens and children alike can take part in the greater vision of a clean world. By discussing the incentives for clean energy and reduction of carbon emissions, this matter exemplifies the kind of proactivity APES students should have.
 * 1)  **My Perspective:** I chose this particular topic because of its significance in a world that rarely finds avenues for progress. Unlike the past three environmental issues I have chosen, this article details actual research and governmental policy that brings the world forward. Rather than simply identifying an issue and failing to act upon the increased awareness, the policy of providing financial incentives for clean energy use cohesively employs a solution to several environmental issues, especially when the research is within reach. Overall, I am in support!
 * 1)  **Law:** All of the following environmental laws relate directly to the issue at hand, as they detail the restrictions that both governmental agencies and constituents must adhere to in this context.