Day 7 with my new electric car (and a few surprises already).

The Greenest Car in My Driveway—Or Is It?

Hi Reader,

The greener choice usually comes wrapped in homework.​
But after a week, an emission free driveway and an untouched battery feel like proof it’s worth it.

Last Friday, I picked up my new Honda Prologue from a dealership about 35 minutes away—the first fully electric car I’ve ever leased. The payments were lower than the hybrid I’d been considering, and the idea of running on clean electricity instead of gas felt like the next right step.

I’ve only driven it locally so far. It’s smooth and eerily quiet—so much so that I keep checking the dashboard to be sure it’s actually on.

And the music it plays when I'm moving? Otherworldly.
A little cosmic hum that sounds less like a car and more like an interplanetary warning system.

Seven days in, the battery still hasn’t dipped low enough to charge. (EV expert Tom Moloughney recommends waiting until it’s around 50–60% before plugging in, to prolong battery life.)

That’s easy for me—I drive so little that I’m still sitting at 283 miles of range.
It's a good thing because I needed to upgrade our outdoor electrical outlet adaptor so I could use Level 2 charging.
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Level 2 charging (vs. the usual household 120 volt) delivers it faster and more efficiently.
A regular household outlet (Level 1) is 120 volts, while your 220 V setup delivers roughly four times the power.

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That means:

• I can go from near-empty to full in hours instead of days.
• The car’s onboard systems run more efficiently during charging (less heat loss, less time in standby).
• I'm still using about the same total energy for a full charge, just over a shorter period.

After a couple of days of research and waiting for shipping, my new adapter and heavy-duty extension cord arrived, and they fit perfectly. Progress in a tidy box.

It’s humbling, and kind of funny. After decades of teaching people how to live more sustainably, there I was waiting for two delivery trucks to help me “go green.” Progress, it seems, still arrives in cardboard boxes. (Neither of these parts were available within a reasonable drive.)

So, is this actually better?

The numbers say yes—especially in Vermont.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the state gets about 57% of its in-state electricity from hydroelectric power and another 13% from wind, with much of the rest imported hydro from Québec. That means when I finally plug in, those electrons will mostly come from water and wind, not fossil fuels.

Building an EV battery does create more emissions up front, but here in Vermont, that “carbon debt” is typically paid back after about 12,000 miles. Beyond that, an electric SUV like the Prologue emits roughly half the lifetime CO₂ of a hybrid, and about a third of a gas SUV.

For someone like me—who drives around 7,000 miles a year—that break-even point arrives in less than two years.

Of course, the picture isn’t spotless. Lithium comes from water-stressed regions, cobalt mining still raises human-rights concerns, and every new car—electric or not—carries an environmental price tag. But cleaner LFP batteries that skip cobalt and nickel entirely are scaling fast, and recycling programs from companies like Redwood Materials are already recovering metals from spent packs.

Progress, not perfection—but measurable progress all the same.

EV Reality Check: The Pros and Cons

What Works in Their Favor

• Cleaner lifetime footprint. Even with battery production, EVs produce 50–70% fewer emissions than gas cars; Vermont’s hydro-heavy grid widens that gap.
• Quiet, efficient drive. Instant torque, smooth handling, and near-silence—once you stop second-guessing whether the car’s actually on.
• Local energy. Hydro and wind replace imported oil; fewer moving parts mean less maintenance.
• Technology improving fast. Cobalt-free batteries and large-scale recycling are already reshaping the industry.

The Complicated Middle Ground

• Cold-weather range loss. Vermont winters can trim 20–40% of range; pre-heating and seat warmers help.
• Charging setup. Getting started often means learning new jargon—amperage, adapters, and outlet types.
• Upfront manufacturing impact. EVs start dirtier, then win big over time.
• Global supply chain. Mining impacts still need attention, even as cleaner options expand.

So far, I’m intrigued. The Prologue feels calm, deliberate—like it’s teaching me a quieter kind of motion.

Maybe that’s what sustainability really looks like: not a finished statement, but an unfolding sentence.
A willingness to learn as you go, to question, to adapt—and to keep the windows cracked open while you do.

We all have our version of this—the thing we thought would simplify life, only to find ourselves waiting on UPS tracking numbers or reading up on voltage. It’s not failure; it’s the real shape of change.

How about you?

Have you tried a “greener” swap that turned out to be more complicated—or more rewarding—than you expected?
Hit reply and tell me. I’d love to share a few reader stories in a future note.
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Have you tried a “greener” swap that turned out to be more complicated—or more rewarding—than you expected?

Hit reply and let me know. I’d love to share a few reader stories in a future note.

Oh, and this week's Green Living Now Podcast is available.

Ever think worms and laughter could save the planet?

In this week’s Green Living Now Podcast, I sit down with Cathy Nesbitt—who proves joy and compost have more in common than you’d imagine.

We dig into:

• How a garbage crisis became a green-living breakthrough
• Why laughter yoga is serious stress relief
• The shared secret between joy and soil: transformation

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And for those on the go, here are the audio only versions on your favorite podcast platforms

Gotta go build my new worm composter. I'll report back when I have an update...

Be well,

Amy