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EV LSI , Electric Vehicle Life Style Index
http://www.evworld.com/blogs/index.cfm?page=blogentry&authorid=16&blogid=200&archive=0

Many drivers of Electric Vehicles are a great example of the life style we need to change the world. Others are good but not as high on the index. First I believe EV drivers are caring people who want to help reduce air pollution and environmental damage, this includes our water supplies. They also want to stop the imported energy caused by the Oil addicition the world has. Here are some ways I used to see how high each rates.

The first item you are influenced by is the type of EV the person uses. If it's a small light efficient vehicle that is high on the index. If it's a large vehicle used to commute with only the driver it's not so good. The type of batteries is next. The best most environmentally sound batteries are the new Lithium types. These last the longest and are actually rated by the EPA as benine if disposed of. They actually get recycled which makes them EVen better. If the EV uses Lead Acid or Nicad which both contain heavy metals it's not as good, EVen if they do get recycled. If they are wet cells they lose a little more on the index since water is so precious, not to mention in an accident the acid level of the water would be very hazardous to the driver and any other people involved. Next you notice if they use the EV for all trips around their home area like work, shopping and other errands or do they just race and show it. The best is someone who drives it for EVerything. If not what is their other main vehicle ? A small light Full Hybrid scores the best. A larger or mild hybrid is not so good.

A second measure on the EV Life SType Index is what type of house do they live in. The best is a grid tied Solar PV-Winf zero energy home. If it only provides some of the energy needed it's not as good but much better than just an ordinary home. If it's off grid it is not as high becuase they have choosen to live way out away from people and spoil the open land. You also have to see if they use gas or propane to heat which is not as good as a heat pump on all solar electric. A fireplace is also not as good since they make a lot of air pollution. Do they use Energy Star appliances or other earth friendly equipment like a solar oven, solar clothes dryer (clothes line), solar hot water or low head hydro. Each one is good and increases their index.

Another measure on the EV lifestyle Index is where they work and what they do for a living. If they are in the renewable energy area it's the highest. If they do work that is not in a major polluting area like heatlth care or communications and computer work it is higher on the index. If they work for a major oil company or mining it's very low. How far they have to communte for work is also on the index. If you work from home thats very good. If work is only 5 or 10 miles away you are also doing pretty well.

The last measures are more on personal life style. Like what do they do for a hobby. If they own and use a gas power boats that's a big zero. If they race and retore gas vehicles that is also not so good. If they do volunteer work for charitable groups that is high on the list. A part of this is do they belong to a religion ? Do they practice what they preach ? If they do it shows they care about others and helping people instead of just taking from the world and watching out only for themselves. The last item is do they smoke or drink ? If they drink it kills brain cells and the drink could be used as clean fuel like ethanol or bio-diesel. If they smoke it's a real loser since the croips could also be a cleaner fuel source and when they do smoke it makes air pollution for them and the people around them. A lat item is what they eat and how healthy they are. This is a hard one since eating veggie uses the least water to grown and smallest amount of energy to produce. I've read where you could feed 100 vegitarians for a meat eater in terms of water and energy. You also don't have to kill any living things to eat veggie. A raw Vegan veggie person is the higest level.

All of these items can be a measure of the person. Many are changing and improving EVery day. Some people that are EV drivers rate very high on this list. One excellent example is Actor Ed Begly Jr. He lives in a Solar home, eats vegitarian and has driven EVs for over 16 years. He not only lives the life style he tells other about it. He has ridden his bicyle to black tie awards parties in Hollywood. He also started the EMA Environmental Media Association that gets a lot of Hollywood people involved to help the environment.

In my person journey I own and fix EVs with a 03 Civic Hybrid as my gas car. I get 60 mpg by driving smart EVen with it's EPA rating of 49/48. It's all in the driving style. I work in the computer chip industry and make some of the most advanced chips in the world. I ride my bicycle to and from work at 19.1 miles each way and work 12 hour shifts. I used to work for Iridium Satellite with solar powered cell sites (Satellites) and befor that for wireles and ground based phone companies using fiber optics for a toal of 35 years. I teach a solar course at the local community college to spread the word. After I installed Solar I petitioned the local power company to give incentives and retail net-metering, they did. I live in a solar grid tied home I installed in 2001 before incentives with no other power sources, I also have solar hot water and energy star appliances as well as Compact Florescent and LED lights. Each year I try another project to make it more efficient, this year I added a radiant barrier in the attic for R16 and heat reduction. My wife and I are vegitarian. I have volunteered at the Red Cross for over 11 years as a hemotron operator, DAT disater action Team driver, and repaired Talking Books for the public library and adapted toys for handicapped children for 9 years. I also built bat mobiles for X-raying young children for the telephone Pioneers. I'm a member of the EAA, Amer Solar Energy Association ASEA , Sierra Club, and many others. My wife and I volunteer at our church doing the sound and video for about 5 years. I try to make a positive difference and influence EVeryday.