# NDEW 2018 (National Drive Electric Week)



## ChargePoint (Jul 12, 2017)

Currently, there are over 280 events on the schedule, so are you planning on heading to any of your local NDEW events this year?

Drive Electric Week celebrations are on *September 8-16, 2018* this year, with events planned across the US (and other countries).

Learn how to host an NDEW event in your area, or check out the national event calendar/schedule.
They also have volunteer opportunities on the NDEW website!


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## Love (Sep 13, 2017)

ChargePoint said:


> Currently, there are over 280 events on the schedule, so are you planning on heading to any of your local NDEW events this year?
> 
> Drive Electric Week celebrations are on *September 8-16, 2018* this year, with events planned across the US (and other countries).
> 
> ...


Wow, just saw this and there's one in Iowa City this Saturday! I'm registering my Model 3! Talking to my wife about caravaning our cars because so far there's just one Leaf registered. With hers, that would at least be my 3 and her S to add to the Leaf.

Think more EVs will just show up without registering?


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## ChargePoint (Jul 12, 2017)

Lovesword said:


> Wow, just saw this and there's one in Iowa City this Saturday! I'm registering my Model 3! Talking to my wife about caravaning our cars because so far there's just one Leaf registered. With hers, that would at least be my 3 and her S to add to the Leaf.
> 
> Think more EVs will just show up without registering?


I don't doubt it, however, I imagine how that's handled is fairly unique to each location if there are multiple organizers.

I hope you'll share pictures with us all here after the Iowa City event ends.


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## ChargePoint (Jul 12, 2017)

Lovesword said:


> Wow, just saw this and there's one in Iowa City this Saturday! I'm registering my Model 3! Talking to my wife about caravaning our cars because so far there's just one Leaf registered. With hers, that would at least be my 3 and her S to add to the Leaf.
> 
> Think more EVs will just show up without registering?


Updating with a link to Lovewood's visit to their NDEW event! 
https://teslaownersonline.com/threads/iowa-area.7572/page-4#post-147292


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## Love (Sep 13, 2017)

ChargePoint said:


> Updating with a link to Lovewood's visit to their NDEW event!
> https://teslaownersonline.com/threads/iowa-area.7572/page-4#post-147292


I'd like to add to this by posting a story I previously didn't in the link posted above. One about a gentleman I met at this event in Iowa City... a man who reminded me of an extremely powerful perspective, and reason to ask others, to make the switch to electric.

***Heads up: No politics intended on my part, however this story contains some from the perspective of the gentleman I heard it from. Mods, I will not be offended by any changes that are required to meet forum rules.***

He talked about his time spent in the deserts of Iraq during the Iraqi War as a member of the United States military. He spoke of the burning oil fields that he and his fellow soldiers were basically living among as they marched toward Baghdad, lit up by someone for some reason unimportant to this story. But there he was, breathing the air full of burning oil, ash and sand. I don't think at the time they knew just how bad it was, though I'm sure they considered that it wasn't good, no one really could do much about it but press on.

Now, years later and back home, he has permanent lung damage and carries an emergency inhaler with him at all times. His lung capacity has been greatly reduced. There isn't anything that can be done for him. He still has oil tarred sand stuck in sections of his lungs.

He has four boys. He told me their ages and, though I've forgotten specifics, I recall mid teens down to higher single digit ages... and a proud smile on his face as he spoke of them.

At the National Drive Electric event in Iowa City, he made it clear to me: The same way that years ago he fought in the Iraq war, he now fights to inform and push everyone he can towards electric vehicles and away from petroleum.

His reasons come off as a bit political. I don't want to cause any offense, but I do need to list them to make his further point.
- He feels that war had more to do with oil than anything else.
- He feels there is connections between oil and the funding of terrorists and wants to defund terrorism.
- He wants to see the United States have zero reliance on oil, especially from foreign sources.

All of this above though, while it influences and helps define this man and his resolve, is minuscule to his primary reasoning which is his boys and their future. Sure, he wants them to have a better, cleaner future with EVs populating the roads instead of ICE vehicles. But it was more than that. He said he fights against oil so his children never have to do what he did... go over to another country to fight a war and end up with permanently damaged lungs due to this toxic substance we've depended on as a species for far too long.

So... there's some "connected dots" there that are a bit political so you can see why I've hesitated to post this. Politics aside, I do think the main take away that I came away from this with is true. It hit me that day in Iowa City and has stuck with me since. It's something I already knew but for whatever reason I've accepted it and have just moved on. *THIS STUFF KILLS US!! * It's been killing us and those we love and will continue to do so until we stop using it.

I don't have a wrap up or moral of the story to add here... I heard from him that day, sorted through his story to find my own thoughts on the matter and it's just stuck with me.

I do know the sooner we move on from oil, the better. I discovered in Iowa City that I've been too accepting and complacent in allowing it to still be partially in my life. I'm grateful it didn't take something like permanent lung damage for me to learn this lesson.

- Love


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