NASA reported on August 14 that July 2023 was the hottest month globally in their records. The report is yet another reminder of the international climate emergency that looms over all of our human activities.

On the heels of this report, among others, have been calls for individuals to keep track of and work to reduce or offset their carbon footprint. While individual consumers are not wholly responsible for the climate crisis, everyone does have a carbon footprint.

Battery-powered electric cars, otherwise known as electric vehicles or EV’s, are becoming ever more common on U.S. roads and highways. According to J.D. Power, sales of EV’s rose from 3.2% [of the auto market] in 2021 to 5.8% in 2022, a two-thirds increase that is only expected to continue as more vehicle body types and public charging stations become available.  

At Caritas Vehicle Services, Our Mission is To Serve. We take special care in providing the transportation needs for your community so you have more time to focus on your community's unique mission.

The following is the story of one of our esteemed clients and their congregation’s 100 years of good stewardship and selfless service to their community in Merrill, Wisconsin.

--

To explore recent developments in the auto industry, we interviewed our Director of Fleet Management, Brad Forbush. Brad has 40 years of experience in the auto industry and 10 years of service at Caritas Vehicle Services.

The conditions of the automotive marketplace have changed dramatically since the beginning of the Covid pandemic and the global supply chain crisis.  In our interview, Brad recommends strategies that will help when you need to purchase a new vehicles despite certain challenges in today's market.

What is a carbon footprint?

Everything we do requires some output of energy. Every time you switch on a light, access the Internet, or, in the case of fleets, every time you or your driver start up a car -- you are using energy. When going about our daily lives constantly using energy, greenhouse gases are released.

The sum of your greenhouse gas output over the course of a year is your carbon footprint. It varies individual to individual, but everyone has one.

Here are several indisputable facts:

• The Earth rotates on an axis around the Sun
• Water is wet
• The globe is warming at an unprecendented rate, causing a myriad of issues from global ice caps melting to rampant wildfires in Australia and the U.S.

The statements above are scientific facts. According to Climate.gov, "... the combined land and ocean temperature has increased at an average rate of 0.14 degrees Fahrenheit (0.08 degrees Celsius) per decade since 1880; however, the average rate of increase since 1981 (0.18°C / 0.32°F) has been more than twice that rate."¹

Despite the allure of snow-days; the nostalgia in remembering school closures and entire afternoons dedicated to sledding, we know that—especially these days—our lives and responsibilities don’t just go away because of Old-Man Winter. And while the weather always seems to have an edge, there are many strategies and preparations that can help you curb the impact of the snow on your travels.

In times of crisis, ministry serves as a beacon of guidance, assistance and hope to those most in need. Caritas Vehicle Services’ sister organization, the non-profit CARITAS For Children, has worked tirelessly for over 20 years to help raise children in the poorest areas of the world out of abject poverty by providing them food, housing, clothes and, perhaps most importantly, access to education at all levels, from kindergarten to university. In fact, if you are a client of Caritas Vehicle Services, you have already provided indirect support to the CARITAS mission.

Now, there is another cause, forced into the forefront of minds everywhere by an oppressive Russian regime. That is the brothers and sisters of Ukraine who face a brutal military assault on their lives, their loved ones, their peace, their home, and their democracy. Now, for Ukraine, the cause is survival and freedom from tyranny. For CARITAS For Children, the new cause is solidarity and support.

When that check engine light goes on in the car it immediately elicits a groan from the driver. In one instance, it was Sister Mary Kay’s car and she was the one groaning about her 2008 Toyota Camry. She was starting to lose her power steering, so she took her car into the small local shop where she’s had her car serviced for the past 10 years. The mechanic found a few other problems and presented a repair estimate of $1,357.  Sr. Mary Kay called her Community’s Vehicle Coordinator, Jerry, who suggested that Sr. Mary Kay obtain a second opinion from a different shop, so she took her car to a local Goodyear shop, which is a large national auto service provider. Goodyear’s estimate was $2,550 for a list of repairs that included everything the local shop found plus several other high cost items.  Now Sr. Mary Kay was confused and unsure of what she should do, so she made another call to Jerry.

Auto manufacturers are making great strides in ensuring the safety and peace-of-mind of all drivers on the road by implementing a new generation of smart-tech safety features in all 2021 vehicles. In the past, many driver safety features were only available on high-priced models and luxury vehicles, but today, most vehicles are equipped with advanced safety technology that wasn't even available just five years ago. With all of the new developments and improvements in vehicle safety technology, it is important to be aware of what these safety features are and how they work to keep drivers safe.