The country’s largest electric-vehicle festival, Electrify Expo, is happening at the University of Washington July 23-24. Showcasing leading innovations in electric vehicle and electric wheeled recreation technology and mobility, it offers a great opportunity for conversations with the kids about energy efficiency and fossil-free travel.
From e-bikes, e-skateboards and e-scooters to electric cars, visitors are invited to ride, drive and demo the latest designs. Courses will be set up to help riders get a good feel for each type of wheeled transport. A Kid Zone will be open to keep kids safe while parents test ride.
The Supreme Court’s recent decision to curb the powers of the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate carbon emissions under the Clean Air Act was a major blow in the fight to stop calamitous climate change. It may also be an important teaching moment for families about the importance of pollution control, ozone, moving away from fossil fuel reliance, and the many ways kids and families can help protect the planet.
A visit to Electrify Expo will introduce hope to the conversation by providing a hint of the transportation possibilities just around the corner, including autonomous vehicles, airplanes and other transportation options controlled by artificial intelligence.
Electric transportation isn’t the whole solution to global warming, but it is a big part of the conversation according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Working Group. Consider prefacing your trip to the expo by watching the simple kid-friendly video “Electric Cars & Global Warming Emissions” created by the Union of Concerned Scientists. The national organization was created by scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology 50 years ago to “use rigorous, independent science to solve our planet’s most pressing problems.”
Cost to attend is $20 per person. Children age 5 and under are free with a ticketed adult.
Published July 6, 2022
Also check out the Seattle’s Child article “How to talk to your kids about climate change.”
