Date: April 20, 2021
General Motors made headlines when it announced that by 2035, the company will discontinue the production of gas- and diesel-powered vehicles. This is partly because in the state of California, the sale of gas-powered vehicles will be prohibited in 2035. Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the UK has promised that cars powered exclusively by gas and diesel will be prohibited from 2030 onwards. Canada has made a comparable promise by 2040.
The world is changing, so VTS needs to change. Outside the Chapel Garden, there are now two electric charging points. In the long run the Seminary will impose a fee, but to start with, these stations are free. We are trusting that any user will move their car once the car is charged, thereby enabling someone else to use it. Over the next decade, the number of electric charging points will grow. Probably by 2030, there will an electric charging point at every other parking space.
For the gas-powered cars on the campus, this will be a gradual transition. Even in 2035, you will still be able to find the occasional gas station. However, the world is changing. And, as happened with the shift from horse and buggy to car, you don’t see many blacksmiths around any more.
It is important to remember that the goal is to reduce emissions. It is true that there is a lively debate about electric cars and batteries; however, it is also true that the air will be cleaner and countless children with asthma will be grateful.
The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D.
Dean and President