Assist Me Get Extra “Boots On The Floor” CleanTech Protection

On this article, I’m going to share an essential venture I’m engaged on that would carry extra fairness and high quality to my cleantech information protection. All the particulars are under. For those who like what you’re seeing, please consider donating to support it here and share it on social media!

The Tales That Don’t Get Instructed

For those who observe my work right here at CleanTechnica, you in all probability discover a mixture of unique articles and journey logs mixed with tales that clearly got here from the web someplace. Tales that come from social media, old skool web boards, and press releases usually have one thing essential to say, however you may end up wishing we’d get on the market extra and see extra of these items in particular person, and attempt to get extra unique content material to go along with the essential info.

Sadly, there are monetary causes that many cool cleantech tales fall by means of the cracks and don’t get the love they in all probability deserve. Typically, the price of fuel, motels, and consuming at eating places for days at a time is simply far greater than what we’d get again in income and author pay (and sooner issues like air journey are even farther from profitability). Because of this huge firms that may afford to pay for journalists’ journey and lodge for his or her largest tales and product launches get in-depth protection. Each different story that deserves to be advised usually has to depend on distant communication, like capturing the corporate an e-mail, scheduling a name (which might get very time consuming), or perhaps attending a Zoom assembly.

Regardless of these challenges, I do attempt to get unique, in-person tales as a lot as I realistically can. On an extended journey final yr, I reviewed a brand new EV charging station, reviewed an EV charging adapter, tried out Electrify America’s latest {hardware}, examined a set of tires, and discovered one thing essential that would save lives. This wasn’t a worthwhile journey even staying at Motel 6 and consuming low-cost quick meals that irritated my guts, however I nonetheless assume this type of work is just too essential to only by no means do.

Plus, even when these superior tales justified journey bills, it’s not proper for us to advocate for doing proper by the surroundings after which go round driving gas-powered vehicles or flying on jet planes to do it. We have to be utilizing the cleanest options accessible, so I believe touring to do this stuff in an EV is the accountable and non-hypocritical factor to do.

Talking of options, opinions for issues like photo voltaic mills, e-bikes, and scooters additionally don’t get the love they might be getting. We’d like to take each e-bike out to Moab, cost it with a photo voltaic generator, and provides all of it the most effective testing, however more often than not this stuff get reviewed in our yards and on native bike paths/trails. We have to get on the market extra and assist readers actually see what’s doable.

I’ve been working for the final couple of years to repair this downside for good, however I’m going to wish your assist to recover from the end line to get this getting in 2023.

What We Have Gathered So Far & What We Nonetheless Want

That is one thing I’ve been engaged on for years, and you could have seen some huge fundraising asks throughout that point that (in all probability rightfully) went nowhere. The plan has at all times been to make use of an EV and tow both a small RV or a small trailer loaded with “glamping” provides to function a house base when protecting cleantech information in an space. In different phrases, we’re seeking to construct a cellular newsroom!

This strategy has some huge upfront prices (particularly an EV that may tow), however the finish result’s a really clear cellular operation (all electrical, with lots of solar energy) that doesn’t value me rather more than staying residence going ahead. By going to RV parks, state parks, and even tenting without cost on public lands, practically any essential cleantech story or superb product assessment is inside monetary attain.

With some onerous work and cautious planning, over the past couple of years, I’ve managed to get most of this coated on my own. To this point, I’ve already gathered up:

• The EV tow automobile (my Bolt “EAV”), hitch put in, and airbags (to reduce squat) prepared to put in
• A transportable 1200-watt solar energy station, together with a number of smaller ones
• A transportable electrical heater and air conditioner that may run on solar energy or from my Bolt
• Two Shiftpod Mini insulated shelters, a number of beds, and numerous different tenting gear
• A typical-size shiftpod to function the cellular newsroom
• A compact bathe/rest room tent
• Numerous tarps
• A transportable electrical fridge that we’ll energy with photo voltaic is on the way in which.

As you may see, I’ve received a lot of the gear for this collectively, however after I was about to purchase the previous couple of issues from this yr’s tax return, we had a number of household emergencies in a row. We had a canine instantly get very in poor health and wanted to be put down. We had an enormous water leak open up in the home that wanted a restore that we couldn’t postpone. Lastly, we had an prolonged member of the family go into hospice care. As accountable dad and mom, we took care of all this, however this worn out not solely the enterprise cash we had put aside, however a very good chunk of our financial savings.

Because of this with out your assist, plans to aggressively cowl rural cleantech tales and do superb product opinions are in all probability on maintain till subsequent summer season. So, I figured I’d ask readers and followers to assist me collect up the next gadgets to get us on the street:

I’m utilizing Indiegogo (a crowdfunding platform) to lift the funds for this venture (you can find it here).

If we don’t meet the purpose, all funds will go towards a minimum of a few of these gadgets. I’ll use cheaper options for a few of them and do with out others for now, however I’ll in all probability have to make use of some propane that I had hoped to keep away from. If we exceed the purpose, any extra funds can be used for additional enhancements to the cargo trailer (built-in photo voltaic is an efficient instance) or for journey prices (quick charging charges, campground charges, meals, and many others).

Thanks on your time studying all of this! If this appears like a venture you assume is value supporting, please consider donating whatever’s comfortable here, and make sure to share it on social media in order that others can have an opportunity to assist.

Featured picture: My Bolt “EAV” at a scenic vista in New Mexico. Picture by Jennifer Sensiba.

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Sadly, the media enterprise remains to be a tricky, cut-throat enterprise with tiny margins. It is a unending Olympic problem to remain above water and even maybe — gasp — develop. So …