Clarence Hayes joined Westport’s Representative Town Meeting in 2023. He serves on its Long Range Planning, Environment, Transit and IT committees.
He recently retired from a career in information technology. His final position was senior vice president of global networks at Bank of America.
Clarence Hayes
Clarence has 2 daughters and 5 grandchildren (2 are at Kings Highway Elementary School).
An avid amateur naturalist and walker, he is concerned about the future of the planet — and the environment’s effects on Westport.
He sent this to “06880” in an attempt to join his efforts with “other like- minded residents, to nudge Westport at least a tiny bit towards more environmentally friendly policies and outcomes.” Clarence writes:
As part of my volunteer work in support of the RTM Long Range Planning Committee, I am looking into ways to establish metrics on Westport’s greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).
The first area I analyzed was cars. There is a good data source: the town’s motor vehicle Grand List.
I compared the 2018 and 2023 Lists to determine the level and trend in GHG emissions, and to understand buying habits.
8.6 % of Westport vehicles are low emission hybrid or electric, which is slightly above average for the US. However, Westport has 2.3 cars per household — more than the national average of 2.1.
The latest amenity: a 4-car garage.
And Westport has a higher proportion of large luxury cars and SUVs. This more than offsets the benefit of the higher percentage of hybrids and EVs.
The emissions of the average Westport car are those of a Ford Mustang, Jeep Cherokee or Audi A6: nothing special.
(Click here to look up your car’s emissions.)
Two-thirds of all motor vehicles in Westport were replaced in the last 5 years. Excluding new registrations due to changes in residence, Westporters made 13,591 purchases in this period – 10 cars every business day, non-stop.
And only 1 out of 10 buyers chose a low emission hybrid or electric vehicle.
Our decisions have impact.
- 2023 was the hottest year since records have been kept. The first 4 months of 2024 are the hottest January to April ever recorded — exceeding 2023.
- From January through April, CO2 concentrations increased at a faster rate than they have in the first 4 months of any year since the start of accurate CO2 measurement in the 1950s.
- The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change objective set in 2015 of limiting global warming to 1.5C degrees was breached in 2023.
Westport is among the world’s top climate polluters – higher even than Qatar!
The chart below shows per capita tons of CO2 equivalent per year.
Westport can do better.
Your next car is an easy way to make a difference.
You now have far more choices. There is an EV or hybrid for every need, from a single person driving only locally, to a family with 3 kids and a dog that goes up to Vermont every weekend to ski.
Do you really need a Ford Expedition, GMC Yukon or Chevy Suburban? Will your teenager be emotionally crippled if they don’t get a Jeep Wrangler?
The latest safety research shows that the high hoods of these big vehicles directly correlates with an increase in pedestrian deaths – the opposite of the “Safe Streets and Roads for All” program that our town touts.
Plenty of 7-seaters which are lighter, less polluting, and safer for our streets. Get your teenager a used Nissan Leaf, and make the EV a new status symbol at Staples.
If you want to show off with the biggest, coolest, most expensive car on your block, you can do so in a less polluting manner. You have options!
Mom, 3 kids and a dog can go electric. Be the first on your block — or with a plug-in hybrid.
So, please: With your next car, make a difference … for the climate, and your grandchildren.
(If you have questions, or would like a copy of the data and analysis, email chayes@westportct.gov.)
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PS: Though what I’ve written above is not the most climate-friendly approach, it is better than nothing.
However, it does not take into account:
- Upstream emissions: CO2 emissions from electricity generation, and the extraction/refining of petroleum.
- Manufacture/materials: CO2 emissions from energy consumed in the extraction of materials and manufacture of new cars.
What you should really do to help the climate:
Keep the old car – or buy a used hybrid or EV.
If you have a gas car in good running condition, don’t get rid of it. Take good care of it and keep it as long as possible.
The manufacture of a new car creates CO2 emissions typically equal to at least 50% of the lifetime tailpipe emissions of the car. The longer you keep it, the greater the amortization of those emissions, and the lower total impact to the atmosphere over time.
I have a 22-year old gas car. I maintain it well, and I only drive locally. Manufacturing a new car creates a huge new injection of CO2, vs. the much smaller repeat incremental CO2 from my driving.
Buy the minimum needed.
Whatever you do buy new, fit it to your real transport needs — and keep it as light as possible. For example:
- The Rivian EV creates 122 gmCO2/mile in “upstream emissions” — the same as a Volvo SUV hybrid. The Nissan Leaf EV creates only 88 gmCO2/mile in upstream emissions.
- The Rivian weighs 7068 pounds, versus 3509 for a Nissan Leaf – double the emission impact from manufacture.
(“06880” wants to ensure an environmentally sound future for Westport — and a financially sound one for our hyper-local blog. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Nissan Leaf.
And stop idling in your vehicle. This is a CT law.https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/deep/air/diesel/anti-idling/antiidlingbrochurepdf.pdf
As the owner of an 18 year old gas car, I’m grateful for this information. I was actually afraid that because it was old it might cause more emissions. Very happy to know that I’m doing the right thing by taking care of it with the hope of keeping it until I go.
When you factor in all the beginning and ending costs of windmills and electric vehicles, they are an environmental disaster‼️
Hi Tom-
Beginning in 2007 we began replacing our vehicles with Toyota hybrids. The replaced cars usually had between 100 and 135 thousand miles. First hybrid was a 2007 Prius (since gone to a junk yard in 2023 at 150K). We now have a 2016 Avalon Hybrid (100K), a 2017 Highlander Hybrid (40K) and more recently a plug-in 2021 Prius Prime (used by our married kids). They average between 30MPG (Highlander Hybrid), 40MPG (Avalon Hybrid) and 55 MPG (Prius Prime).
Replacing a gas powered car when it is at the end of its useful life with a hybrid or plug-in hybrid – a no brainer. Replacing with a fully battery car ( the technology is getting better and better) – your call at the time.
I will add- We put solar panels and Tesla batteries on our house over a year ago. Now we get no electric bills, have a monthly Eversource credit averaging around $150- $200 monthly, and no longer know there are power outages that have affected our neighbors. The outages were covered seamless by our batteries. Financial and emotional win- win- win. By our math financial payback is in less than 4 to 5 years- but emotional payback has been immediate and recurring with each power outage we didn’t know happened.
Finally – we put extra insulation in our attics three years ago- the house is warmer on less oil per year. Payback at $3.50/gallon is 2 to 3 years
We are not zealots- just doing things that make a difference with excellent pay back!
Everyone has to start doing something beside denying the impact climate chang. Our atmosphere, the rising sea levels and the power of the storms hitting our country are telling us – Do Something!.
When the time comes to replace a car hopefully you will find it makes sense to move to a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid or if you so choose a fully electric battery car depending on then current technology – that runs off your solar panels.
I am reluctant to add – hopefully you are not just tilting at windmills.
This is an excellent report from the RTM Long Range Planning Committee. It and similar dives into the real data on our actions’ consequences for the environment should play increasingly major roles in both private citizens’ and municipal planning decisions… I especially like how Mr. Hayes has linked financial currency to carbon currency. Thanks for making it public and offering the information in accessible form.
the college tik tok scholars are only concerned about the Palestinians and their elected terrorist government. The tik tok university magna cum ignorant crowd doesn’t give a crap about global warming pollution woman’s rights and democracy.
Clarence, thank you. The importance of your presence on the RTM has become evident in many ways. This latest effort is a further example. You also write and speak very well.
Don Bergmann
Maybe the Staples parking lot should only allow electric or hybrid vehicles.
Your article reminded me why I decided not to become a teacher–the student parking lot had much nicer cars than the faculty parking lot.
One final (perhaps) comment–do away with the student parking lot. Aside from the pollution it creates, it might be creating a social underclass of students who can’t afford cars. It would be better for e erybody if they ditched their cars and walked/biked or took the bus to school.
It’s interesting to try to formulate an action plan based on the profile Mr. Hayes has provided. Clearly Westporters are Apex Carbon Consumers and Green House Gas Emitters… whether that extends to their children or makes them (us) conscious of how spoiled a world our children will inherit is not something to be answered lightly or here.
Forcing our children to consume and emit less might be good training for the blasted world they will inherit from us.
This is wonderful information and I’m thrilled to see Westport engaging in this kind of discussion. Like many parents in town, I am also deeply concerned about the future our children will inherit. Consumer Reports recently reported that the planetary health crisis may cost children born today $500K-$1M over the course of their lifetime. In terms of economic damage, a 1 degree C rise in temperature is expected to reduce world GDP by 12%. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/17/economic-damage-climate-change-report?CMP=twt_a-environment_b-gdneco. While I wholeheartedly agree that we should be doing more to protect our children’s future, I worry that focusing only on individual consumer-related actions is unfairly burdensome. While I think we can do better if we have the means to do so, I’d love to also see a focus on building community resilience, particularly given the deeply systemic nature of the crisis. While I support the transition to renewable energy 100% given that we need to do all we can at this point to reduce the temperature, the best way to combat climate distress is by engaging in climate activism for systemic change and policies conducive to planetary health. At this late point, there are no easy or perfect solutions to the climate crisis. There are pros and cons for most renewable solutions, but the bottom line is, the temperature is rising too fast, and we need to do all we can to reduce it to minimize the damage. EVs are not perfect, but they do reduce carbon emissions. Windmills are not perfect, but they also reduce carbon emissions. As an aside, I do drive a Wrangler, but it’s a plug-in hybrid so that’s an option, though admittedly not as carbon friendly as the Nissan Leaf!
This isn’t the answer to the metacrisis we face. It’s consumption, population and a desire to keep living like growth is a positive thing. We’ve passed the threshold of being able to affect change because of overshoot. I really don’t envy young people because of what they are facing in a decade or two.
It is true that the current modern living growth mindset is a problem for planetary health, but regenerative growth is conducive to planetary health. If we transitioned to a regenerative way of life, our actions would be aligned with planetary wellbeing. However, focusing on population is misplaced. I recommend the book “The Conceivable Future: Planning Families and Taking Action in the Age of Climate Change” by Rhode Island state senator Meghan Kallman and Josephine Ferorelli for more information on this topic.
Dermot, well said. Really? Look at the size of homes in this area? We allow “clear cutting” of building lots. I have nothing against those who have the financial means to build and afford these homes.
My problem is when people think driving a prieus (sp.) or one those electric cars think they are making a “big difference.” They are not.
Look the mirror of you your own daily life, and we will all find we are major contributors to screwing up the planet beyond what we drive.
We are a consuming nation on steroids….
Thank you Mr. Hayes for your analysis…and personal thoughts
Hi Jimmy- I hope when it is time to replace your car or truck that you will consider a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or a battery car ( I am sure the battery technology will continue to improve). Every small step we each take will make a difference in the world our kids and grandkids inherit from us.
Please read my entry above. We started taking those small steps years ago and hopefully doing something is better than doing nothing. I don’t mind driving cars that can get 40 or 55 MPG.
We can improve our cars and our homes ecologically while at the same time that it makes economic sense to do it.