- Hail to the Bailout-Plug Ins Included
Funding for banks has been getting a lot of attention lately, but the historic Congressional bailout package also.. - 2009 Plug In Prius Auction to Benefit Plug In America
In early November, the Green Car Company of Bellevue, WA will auction on eBAY the first in a series of 2009 Plug In Prius.. - Oh, What a Night!
On the evening of Sept. 27, 2008, over 250 supporters gathered at director Chris Paine's hilltop Los Angeles home to enjoy.. - Sustainable Chef Extraordinaire
Cathy Lam, who catered PIA's fundraiser, doesn't mince words when it comes to cutting waste. No bowl, no broth, she told.. - Then There Was Turkey
Another long-time PIA supporter and RAV4 EV driver, Marvin (Marvy Marv) Campbell, cooked up some wicked good turkey.. - Board Matters
Chelsea Sexton has stepped down from her post as a Plug In America board member, but we are delighted to report that she.. - PIA Plugged In to the Pacific Northwest
Plug In America is increasingly active in the Pacific Northwest, a region showing leadership in advancing its electric.. - Liza's Story
Remember Liza Stoner? PIA sponsored the Minneapolis 14-year-old's 1,500-mile bicycle ride to raise awareness of EVs this..
Hail to the Bailout-Plug Ins Included
Funding for banks has been getting a lot of attention lately, but the historic Congressional bailout package also delivered a victory for plug-ins, another demonstration that PIA's advocacy is paying off. The package included a federal tax credit starting at $2,500 for vehicles with battery packs holding a minimum of 4 kWh of energy. The credit increases $417 for every additional kilowatt hour to a maximum of $7,500. The Chevy Volt would qualify for the maximum credit, so if GM can bring it in at $35,000, consumers could pay less than $30,000 for a plug-in car. Hail to the bailout! Hail to plug ins!
2009 Plug In Prius Auction to Benefit Plug In America
In early November, the Green Car Company of Bellevue, WA will auction on eBAY the first in a series of 2009 Plug In Prius Hybrids while supporting Plug In America. Unlike other conversions, these Priuses will come with a factory warranty because the Green Car Company is a dealer using A123 Hymotion batteries. Green Car Co. will jump start this offering by donating the profits of the initial sale to PIA. So many PIA members ask us, "where can I get an electric car?" Well now, instead of replying, "they're coming!" we can say, "they're arriving!"
Oh, What a Night!
Photo: Stefano Paris
PIA supporters Andrew Grin, his father
Milton, board members Paul and Nicholes
enjoy a couple of toy Teslas and a real live
Tesla, behind them. Photo: Stefano Paris
On the evening of Sept. 27, 2008, over 250 supporters gathered at director Chris Paine's hilltop Los Angeles home to enjoy Plug In America's first official fundraiser.
A fleet of RAV4 EVs and AC Propulsion eBoxes quite literally got the party moving by shuttling revelers up the steep incline to Chris's place. There, guests gathered poolside to check out a Tesla Roadster, a GM Chevy Volt, a converted Camero and a Porsche Speedster.
"Seeing a Tesla Roadster playing kissy face with a Chevy Volt was a transformative experience," said PIA board member Paul Scott, "especially for those of us who spent a month in the rain a few years back trying to save GM's last remaining EV1s."
Sustainability champion Cathy Lam added to the night's special alchemy with her delicious solar-cooked dishes (see article below). Rousing roof-top speeches were delivered by Paine, PIA board members Chelsea Sexton, Alexandra Paul and Linda Nicholes, as well as Los Angeles Times auto writer Dan Neil and former CIA Director James Woolsey. All appeared in Paine's "Who Killed the Electric Car?"
Plug In America supporters had every reason to celebrate: EVs are at last being created instead of crushed. To all who were able, we thank you for joining us under the stars. See you next year?
To view a video of PIA's fundraiser, put together by our documentarian Stefano Paris, go to:
http://www.viddler.com/explore/iStef/videos/21/
Sustainable Chef Extraordinaire
Cathy Lam cooks fresh asparagus on her
solar cooker
Cathy Lam, who catered PIA's fundraiser, doesn't mince words when it comes to cutting waste. No bowl, no broth, she told guests at a recent party for which she prepared noodle soup. And why shouldn't everybody bring their own to avoid using disposable dinnerware?
"Although I promote simple living, nothing is simple at first," Cathy says. "It takes discipline and perseverance to practice."
Fundraiser guests were lucky enough to be on the receiving end of Cathy's practice, which made the event's repast perfect. On the menu: chicken with peaches, caramelized onions and a crunchy Asian slaw, all sustainably prepared. Cathy used organic farm-fresh produce, minimal packaging and the sun's rays to cook her ultra-healthy offerings. She even drove a zero-emission vehicle to deliver the food, arriving as many guests did, in a RAV4 EV.
"I used three solar cookers to cook the grains, mushrooms, caramelized onions and vegetables," says Cathy, co-founder of Our1World (http://www.our1world.org), an international nonprofit which promotes simple, sustainable living.
The menu was designed around seasonally available produce, she continues. "We picked up the produce, all hand chopped, from a local farmers market within one-hundred miles of where I live no more than two days before the event. All the water used to wash it was recycled to water my garden."
From farm to table, no plastic bags, foil or saran wrap were used and all completed dishes were transported in reusable containers or pots and pans. The delectables were served on beautiful, reusable platters with bamboo or wood serving utensils.
Catering the party was "truly a labor of love," says Cathy, who happens to be married to PIA board member Mike Kane. "It came from my commitment to elevate the sustainable slow-food movement, food preparation and presentation to an artistic level. Most of all, I wanted guests to enjoy the evening and think about a world full of sustainable possibilities in everything from transportation to food, and how we can all transform every day and every event of our lives."
Then There Was Turkey
PIA party guest Holden Bonwit, party
volunteer Forbes Bagatelle, and
Turkey Chef Marvy Marv Campbell
Another long-time PIA supporter and RAV4 EV driver, Marvin (Marvy Marv) Campbell, cooked up some wicked good turkey to add to Cathy's menu. His recipe, "Hot Teriyaki Stuff," involved injecting the birds with a magic marinade of Teriyaki sauce, fish sauce, garlic paste, chili oil and Sriracha sauce. After said injection, "the birds were allowed to rest for seventy-two hours before being deep-fried at 350 for 45 minutes," says Marvy Marv, to whom PIA sends thanks, as well.
Board Matters
Chelsea Sexton has stepped down from her post as a Plug In America board member, but we are delighted to report that she continues to be closely involved with the organization she helped to create. Meanwhile, Jennifer Krill, Program Director for the Rainforest Action Network, has joined the PIA board. Jennifer has been a trusted, expert advisor on several PIA campaigns over the years.
PIA Plugged In to the Pacific Northwest
Washington-based Green Car Company
co-owner Sue Fahnestock hands Dan Davids
the key to his converted plug-in hybrid
Prius while Dan and James Woolsey endorse
the mighty plug
Plug In America is increasingly active in the Pacific Northwest, a region showing leadership in advancing its electric transportation infrastructure. In September, two PIA representatives attended "Beyond Oil: Transforming Transportation," a conference at Redmond, Washington's Microsoft campus. Put on by the Discovery Institute's Cascadia Center for Regional Development, the event also hosted PIA co-founder Chelsea Sexton as a panel speaker. An impressive bevy of experts representing local government agencies, private companies and renewable energy issues packed these panels, exploring how an entire region might free itself from petroleum-dependency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions with a focus on electric vehicles and mass transportation.
Also at the conference, PIA board member Dan Davids displayed his just-transformed Prius-the Seattle area's first conversion of a hybrid into a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) using a Hymotion A123 battery pack. A dozen other vehicles were on display including a hybrid electric school bus, electric bikes, motorcycles and conversion battery EVs.
PIA is encouraged to witness how cities, counties, government agencies, private enterprise, nonprofit organizations and private citizens are coalescing around a shared regional goal. Some of these participants are considering the development of a national demonstration and showcase project. They include Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, the City of Seattle, Seattle City Light, the Port of Seattle and King County. With a cohesive, shared vision there's no reason an entire region cannot break away from a petroleum-dependent stranglehold.
Liza's Story
Remember Liza Stoner? PIA sponsored the Minneapolis 14-year-old's 1,500-mile bicycle ride to raise awareness of EVs this summer. Read about the trip in Liza's own words at:
http://www.cenewsblog.com/main_news/2008/10/speak-upwe-are.html
Sincerely,
Linda Nicholes
Plug In America
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