‘Bolt Across Canada’ proving zero emission travel is possible

From coast to coast, one Canadian couple and their dog are trying to prove zero waste and zero emission car travel can be achieved.
 
Barb Hetherington, Buddy Boyd and canine companion Piper were in Red Deer Tuesday morning taking advantage of the electric chargers at Peavey Mart headquarters. Their trek is called Bolt Across Canada and yes, they’re driving a Chevy Bolt.
 
The Gibsons, BC residents left Victoria on Canada Day and say their goal is to be on the road for two months, turning back once they reach Quidi Vidi, Newfoundland.
 
“We’re directors of a non-profit organization called Zero Waste Canada. With Canada being 150, we really need to think about the future and sustainability — and it’s about regular people making better choices,” Hetherington says. “We’d like to show that it’s possible that even on a road trip, you can have a low impact.”
 
She explains that to achieve zero waste, they are composting along the way, as well as using reusable cups and containers. Hetherington notes each charge of their Bolt gets them about 400 kilometres.
 
“It’s possible for rural communities to go electric. People generally drive less than 100 miles a day. Electric vehicles are very much a possibility for a change of lifestyle,” she goes on, acknowledging their presence in oil country.
 
“Oil is not a renewable resource and there’s going to come a time when that’s not here. Also, you’ve got lots of sun, so there’s the possibility for solar energy. In Gibsons, we’ve put solar panels on our house so we can have a charger for our car. When we’re at home, we’re fuelling our car with the sun’s energy. It saves us money.”
 
For more on the Bolt Across Canada, visit their Facebook or Twitter pages.