On this article, I’m going to share an vital mission I’m engaged on that might deliver extra fairness and high quality to my cleantech information protection. All the particulars are under. When you like what you’re seeing, please think about donating to assist it right here and share it on social media!
The Tales That Don’t Get Instructed
When you comply with my work right here at CleanTechnica, you in all probability discover a mixture of unique articles and journey logs mixed with tales that clearly got here from the web someplace. Tales that come from social media, old style web boards, and press releases usually have one thing vital to say, however you would possibly end up wishing we’d get on the market extra and see extra of these items in individual, and attempt to get extra unique content material to go along with the fundamental info.
Sadly, there are monetary causes that many cool cleantech tales fall by the cracks and don’t get the love they in all probability deserve. Usually, the price of fuel, lodges, and consuming at eating places for days at a time is simply far larger than what we’d get again in income and author pay (and sooner issues like air journey are even farther from profitability). Because of this large corporations that may afford to pay for journalists’ journey and resort for his or her largest tales and product launches get in-depth protection. Each different story that deserves to be informed usually has to depend on distant communication, like taking pictures the corporate an e mail, scheduling a name (which might get very time consuming), or possibly attending a Zoom assembly.
Regardless of these challenges, I do attempt to get unique, in-person tales as a lot as I realistically can. On an extended journey final yr, I reviewed a brand new EV charging station, reviewed an EV charging adapter, tried out Electrify America’s latest {hardware}, examined a set of tires, and realized one thing vital that might save lives. This wasn’t a worthwhile journey even staying at Motel 6 and consuming low-cost quick meals that irritated my guts, however I nonetheless assume this sort of work is just too vital to simply by no means do.
Plus, even when these superior tales justified journey bills, it’s not proper for us to advocate for doing proper by the atmosphere after which go round driving gas-powered automobiles or flying on jet planes to do it. We should be utilizing the cleanest options accessible, so I feel touring to do these items in an EV is the accountable and non-hypocritical factor to do.
Talking of options, evaluations for issues like photo voltaic turbines, e-bikes, and scooters additionally don’t get the love they might be getting. We’d like to take each e-bike out to Moab, cost it with a photo voltaic generator, and provides all of it the very best testing, however more often than not these items get reviewed in our yards and on native bike paths/trails. We have to get on the market extra and assist readers actually see what’s doable.
I’ve been working for the final couple of years to repair this downside for good, however I’m going to want your assist to recover from the end line to get this getting into 2023.
What We Have Gathered So Far & What We Nonetheless Want
That is one thing I’ve been engaged on for years, and you might have seen some large fundraising asks throughout that point that (in all probability rightfully) went nowhere. The plan has at all times been to make use of an EV and tow both a small RV or a small trailer loaded with “glamping” provides to function a house base when overlaying cleantech information in an space. In different phrases, we’re trying to construct a cellular newsroom!
This strategy has some large upfront prices (particularly an EV that may tow), however the finish result’s a really clear cellular operation (all electrical, with numerous solar energy) that doesn’t price me way more than staying house going ahead. By going to RV parks, state parks, and even tenting without cost on public lands, practically any vital cleantech story or wonderful product evaluate is inside monetary attain.
With some onerous work and cautious planning, over the past couple of years, I’ve managed to get most of this coated on my own. Up to now, I’ve already gathered up:
- The EV tow automobile (my Bolt “EAV”), hitch put in, and airbags (to attenuate squat) prepared to put in
- A conveyable 1200-watt solar energy station, together with a number of smaller ones
- A conveyable electrical heater and air conditioner that may run on solar energy or from my Bolt
- Two Shiftpod Mini insulated shelters, a number of beds, and numerous different tenting gear
- An ordinary-size shiftpod to function the cellular newsroom
- A compact bathe/rest room tent
- Numerous tarps
- A conveyable electrical fridge that we’ll energy with photo voltaic is on the best way.
As you may see, I’ve received a lot of the gear for this collectively, however after I was about to purchase the previous few issues from this yr’s tax return, we had a number of household emergencies in a row. We had a canine instantly get very in poor health and wanted to be put down. We had an enormous water leak open up in the home that wanted a restore that we couldn’t delay. Lastly, we had an prolonged member of the family go into hospice care. As accountable mother and father, we took care of all this, however this worn out not solely the enterprise cash we had put aside, however a very good chunk of our financial savings.
Because of this with out your assist, plans to aggressively cowl rural cleantech tales and do wonderful product evaluations are in all probability on maintain till subsequent summer season. So, I figured I’d ask readers and followers to assist me collect up the next gadgets to get us on the street:
I’m utilizing Indiegogo (a crowdfunding platform) to boost the funds for this mission (yow will discover it right here).
If we don’t meet the objective, all funds will go towards not less than a few of these gadgets. I could use cheaper options for a few of them and do with out others for now, however I’ll in all probability have to make use of some propane that I had hoped to keep away from. If we exceed the objective, any extra funds might be used for additional enhancements to the cargo trailer (built-in photo voltaic is an effective instance) or for journey prices (quick charging charges, campground charges, meals, and so on).
Thanks on your time studying all of this! If this appears like a mission you assume is value supporting, please think about donating no matter’s comfy right here, and be sure you share it on social media in order that others can have an opportunity to assist.
Featured picture: My Bolt “EAV” at a scenic vista in New Mexico. Picture by Jennifer Sensiba.
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