Letters to the Editor: If you care enough to buy an EV, you should stop eating meat

To the editor: Columnist Steve Lopez is right, as usual, to urge increased emphasis on electric cars as a way to combat climate change. But as several studies have shown, going meatless, especially beef-less, is also an effective way to reduce carbon emissions.

Moreover, the sacrifice to meat lovers — which I was before going veggie 15 years ago — has significantly been reduced by major advances in meat substitutes, especially for burgers, chicken and even bacon. And along with the environmental benefits come the health and ethical advantages of not raising lovable animals solely to torture and then butcher them.

How about a column on that no-brainer, Mr. Lopez?

Vincent Brook, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Three years ago, my husband and I bought a used electric vehicle and have never looked back. Although we initially purchased our 2014 Toyota RAV4 to “do our bit� for the planet, a bonus has been a steep reduction in family transportation costs. We haven’t driven into a gas station for three years and have incurred virtually no maintenance costs.

Maintenance costs for EVs are much lower than for internal combustion engine vehicles, because EVs have fewer moving parts, no oil and no catalytic converter. An EV with a high odometer reading is a much safer use of cash than a gas-powered car with the same reading. Of course, used EVs are much more affordable than new ones.

Our maximum charging range is about 90 miles, so if we have a longer trip we either plan a lunch stop close to a charging station or drive our 2008 Prius.

So, what’s not to like about an EV?

Marilyn Judson, Santa Monica