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POINT-COUNTERPOINT: ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN WISCONSIN
Recent grant money dedicated to electric vehicle charging network raises debate over electric cars
AINA MOHD NASER. THE BADGER HERALD.
The Biden administration granted Wisconsin $78 million in federal funds to expand the state’s electric vehicle charging network Sept. 17. The approval is part of a nationwide effort to increase dependence on electric — rather than gasoline-powered — vehicles.
Should Wisconsin continue to transition toward electric vehicles, or do the consequences outweigh the potential benefits? Point: Electric vehicles should become the norm Counterpoint: Electric vehicles must be implemented mindfully
by Brett Huser Opinion Writer
Over the last decade, there has been a surge in the use and development of battery-electric vehicles. With a concern for the ongoing effects of climate change, many car-buyers and manufacturers are transitioning to electric in hopes of saving energy and limiting air pollution. This comes with a higher demand for charging stations throughout the country. In response to this shift, the federal government apportioned nearly $78 million in funding to Wisconsin’s project to build more Electric Vehicle charging stations across the state.
These funds come from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, which Congress passed in November 2021. The Biden Administration hopes to renovate the country’s infrastructure to encourage the use of renewable energy vehicles. Wisconsin’s interconnected project calls for the construction of 400+ station locations, adding up to around 1,000 new EV Supply Equipment ports.
This investment seems to be a smart one, as it will reduce pollution rates, positively impact the fuel and energy economy and lay down a foundation for the future of electric transportation.
One of the obvious benefits of electric vehicles is their eco-friendly nature, most notably in regards to air pollution. While conventional cars rely on fossil fuels such as gas and diesel for power, EVs use electric motors powered by rechargeable lithium batteries.
This means EVs do not emit any sort of carbon dioxide emissions. Replacing conventional cars with EVs thus has the potential to improve our air quality. While a transition to EVs cannot fully eliminate emissions in our air, adopting and encouraging the use of EVs is certainly a step in the right direction.
Another aspect of the use of EVs is how it will affect the economy. Since these vehicles don’t run on fossil fuels, there is a rational potential for the average cost of fuel to reduce as demand for it lessens. This would also lead to less dependency on imported oil. Consumption from locally produced electricity sources might increase in tandem, which could make our economy significantly more independent, as well as bring in new jobs in the energy sector. EVs are also a good financial decision for consumers, as they will end up saving money on fuel costs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, drivers can save as much as $14,500 on fuel costs over 15 years by driving an electric vehicle. The cost of powering an electric vehicle is close to the equivalent of just two dollars per gallon. Lastly, this investment will lay down the foundation and infrastructure needed for the future. While electric vehicles may not be extremely popular among certain groups, it is likely we will see more and more electric vehicles in the near future. Many private-sector companies such as Ford and General Motors have made commitments to go fully electric within the next 10 years. While there is an argument that the price and effort to create the infrastructure necessary for these charging stations is too high, the eventual economic and environmental benefits will outweigh the costs. Today, it is common to see gas stations everywhere you go. Maybe tomorrow, we will start seeing charging stations along highways and among residential areas, ultimately for the better. Brett Huser (bkhuser@wisc.edu) is a freshman 16 • badgerherald.com • October 4, 2022 studying journalism and mass communication.
by Celia Hiorns Opinion Editor
Generally, electric vehicles produce fewer carbon emissions than gasoline vehicles, according to the EPA. A transition to electric cars, however, must be examined closely, because EVs present their own unique challenges in the larger move toward sustainability.
For one, the system powering electric cars matters. According to the New York Times, most EVs draw energy from a combination of coal and sustainable power grids, which makes their environmental footprint smaller than traditional vehicles.
Using predominantly coal-powered grids, however, can actually produce worse environmental outcomes than something like a hybrid vehicle, which uses gasoline and an efficient battery to improve mileage. In the Midwest, coal-power grids dominate energy production, meaning EVs being charged in Wisconsin are likely not very sustainable.
Additionally, issues arise in sourcing materials such as cobalt to produce lithiumion batteries, which power electric cars. Obtaining cobalt can be environmentally damaging and unethical, according to the New York Times.
For one, the mining processes produce harmful waste products that impact the environment and surrounding communities. Also, the vast majority of the world’s cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where working conditions are largely unregulated, raising human rights concerns.
Obtaining materials for EVs can also be difficult for manufacturers. Minor disruptions in supply chains have caused some companies to halt production, according to Forbes. This raises questions of whether the economy is ready for the transition to EVs, as the Biden administration suggests. It also introduces the possibility that companies will turn to unethical practices to meet market demands.
On the back end, problems persist with recycling lithium batteries once they’re done being used in cars. Economic and technical challenges of recycling these materials have prevented extensive research. But without a plan for how to reuse or recycle batteries on a large scale, many could end up in landfills in the near future.
Finally, the transition to electric vehicles, while beneficial by some standards, presents equity issues. Right now, the typical owners of electric cars are high-income men, according to the MIT Science Policy Review. This means the initial stages of the project would benefit this demographic before other subsets of the population.
Also, reliance on electric cars can exacerbate racial and income inequalities, according to NPR. Expanding the infrastructure for private transit draws resources away from public services. Public transportation is both a sustainable and accessible option for many Americans. The focus on individual EVs undermines the larger effort of effective urban planning that allows for easier mobility, stronger communities and more sustainability.
Undoubtedly, electric vehicles represent an opportunity to significantly reduce carbon emissions in the United States. But, unless we can answer the more difficult questions that address the nuances of a transition to electric vehicles, we may not be headed for a more sustainable future after all.
Celia Hiorns (chiorns@badgerherald.com) is a sophomore studying journalism and political science.
UW Health agreement delays inevitable union challenges
Better working conditions, union rights remain unresolved after recent agreement
by Leah Terry Opinion Writer
A UW Health nurses’ strike was called off earlier this month after workers reached an agreement with the administration, just before the three-day strike was scheduled to begin Sept. 13.
While undoubtedly a positive step towards better working conditions for nurses at UW Health, there is much to be done to ensure the right to unionize is accessible and protected for public employees in Wisconsin.
The strike was organized after UW Hospital consistently failed to recognize unionization efforts and meet nurses’ needs during the pandemic. UW Health workers have spoken out in recent years on poor workplace conditions, such as overworking nurses and staffing issues.
The agreement was reached in the private residence of Gov. Tony Evers, who played a role in the mediation efforts. The Service Employees International Union Healthcare and hospital officials negotiated a plan that will produce a final answer from the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission on whether UW Hospital can formally recognize a union. WERC will determine the legality of UW Health bargaining rights under the Peace Act.
“We said for over a decade that the legal situation does not allow us to recognize a union,” UW Health CEO Dr. Alan Kaplan said in an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio.
Kaplan insists the process should only take months to resolve. He believes WERC will settle the dispute and put unionization efforts to rest.
But many interpret the legality of UW Health workers’ bargaining rights differently. For one, Attorney General Josh Kaul wrote in June that UW Hospital could voluntarily engage in collective bargaining with nurses and other employees.
Mary Jorgensen is a UW Health worker who also believes bargaining rights will be guaranteed for health workers following WERC’s official resolution.
“We’re quite sure that we are covered under the Wisconsin Peace Act and that WERC will straighten that out,” Jorgensen said in an interview with the Badger Herald.
This battle is not new. UW nurses officially began the push for a formally recognized union in 2019, according to Wisconsin Public Radio. The nurses have unionized before, but former Gov. Scott Walker’s Act 10 effectively ended all public employee unions in Wisconsin. While it is an encouraging step that an agreement was reached between the nurses and administration, pressure must not be let off UW Hospital.
Improved working conditions for nurses would improve the care patients receive at UW Hospital. The reluctance to allow nurses to unionize at UW Hospital is a continuation of putting profits over people in our healthcare system.
The news of this agreement came shortly after about 15,000 nurses in Minnesota began the largest private-sector nurses strike in U.S. history. Minnesota nurses picketed for similar demands as UW Health workers.
Strikes like these highlight underlying patterns of mistreating essential workers in our healthcare system and a voluntary disregard for taking action that would help patients receive the best care possible.
“[Current working conditions are] not right for new nurses, it’s not right for experienced nurses and most importantly it’s not right for our patients.” UW nurse Shari Signer said at an SEIU Labor Day press conference.
This is a pivotal moment for public employees in Wisconsin. The State Legislature and UW Hospital administration are both in the position to make a change and prove their commitment to workers’ rights. The UW nurses’ movement has the potential to energize healthcare workers across the Midwest and the United States and serve as a leading example for demanding better working conditions.
A rally held on the day of the intended strike celebrated the cancellation of the strike and nurses’ newfound ability to address workplace issues directly with hospital administration. UW Health workers expressed gratitude for Evers at the rally and SEIU announced support for his reelection campaign as well as Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes’ Senate campaign. Both have been vocal supporters of the right to unionize and collective bargaining rights.
The UW Hospital administration also has a leading role to play. They could alleviate pressure from the nurses by voluntarily engaging with the public union, as Kaul noted earlier this year, or by meeting the basic needs their nurses are rightfully demanding. This does not appear likely, however, as the administration has made it evident that they have no plans of acknowledging a union unless it is required by law.
Elected officials have the power to prioritize workers’ rights and make Wisconsin a better place to live and work. The state legislature must undergo action to place legal protections on collective bargaining rights for public employees. This is the most long-term solution to ensuring workers are valued and protected.
WERC’s decision in the coming months will establish the legality of UW Health workers unionization efforts and set a precedent for workers throughout the state. Act 10’s legacy has had detrimental consequences on essential workers’ abilities to do their jobs in safe and supportive workplaces.
The wellbeing of our nurses affects the wellbeing of Wisconsinites. UW Hospital must begin to put people over profits and prove that they know the value of their nurses by recognizing their unionization attempt and providing better working conditions for essential workers.
Leah Terry (lmterry@wisc.edu) is a senior majoring in political science and communication arts and pursuing a certificate in public policy.
ABBY CIMA. THE BADGER HERALD.
UW Health nurses continue push for bargaining rights after recent agreement with hospital administration.
ARTS Emerson Quartet thrills in farewell performance
‘America’s Quartet’ performs in Madison for their final time
by Nick Woodhouse ArtsEtc. Editor
The Wisconsin Union Theater kicked off their 103rd annual concert series Sept. 27 with a major headliner. The Emerson Quarter, one of the world’s longest tenured and highest accomplished string quartets, graced the stage of Memorial Union’s Shannon Hall as part of the their final concert tour.
The quartet, currently made up of violinists Eugene Drucker and Philip Setzer, violist Lawrence Dutton and cellist Paul Watkins, has been performing since 1976 when they met at the Julliard School of Music in New York City. After over four decades of producing original music, racking up countless awards and performing in music halls all around the globe, the group has decided to hang up their bows and turn their attention to instructing the next generation of aspiring musicians.
But, before closing the curtain on an illustrious career of over thirty acclaimed recordings, nine Grammy awards, an Avery Fisher Prize and Musical America’s “Ensemble of the Year” award, the quartet embarks on an international farewell tour with stops in London, Madrid, Athens and — yes — Madison, Wisconsin.
The Emerson Quartet met with an energetic round of applause upon taking the stage. The group assumed their position and swiftly began their performance with Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Razumovsky.” No.2. The piece, commissioned in 1806 by Count Andrey Razumovsky, the Russian ambassador to Vienna, was among the first written works to be performed by a professional string quartet.
The second work of the “Razumovsky” collection is heralded as one of the toughest Beethoven pieces given its demanding mood and pace variations. Set in E minor, the song starts out vigorously with a tone-setting allegro, but gradually sheds its pace for a slower, theme-heavy bridge which includes perhaps the best melody of the night played by violinist Drucker. The song is concluded with a tumultuous shift back to a lighthearted and rather tranquil presto which bookends Beethoven’s work.
An admirable quality of the group is their endurance. The ability to play pieces of classic music which demand one’s full respect and constant attention to detail is something that is certainly worth commending.
It is safe to say the Emerson Quartet won the hearts of the audience in their opening forty-five minute performance, underlining why the Emerson Quartet is an inundation of world-class talent.
Following a brief intermission, the Emerson Quartet retook the stage for the final part of their performance. This piece, B-flat major Op.130, was another tribute to Beethoven and consists of six original elements.
The sixth is the controversial “Gross Fuge” which 19th century audiences deemed to be “too complex and difficult.” As a result, Beethoven published the work independently as Op. 133. Once met with criticism, “Gross Fuge” is now treated as one of the cornerstones of Western classic musical.
“Gross Fuge” served as the show’s farewell gift to fans from the Emerson Quartet. While the first four movements of Op.130 showcase the reserved style of Beethoven, the 14-minute-long “Gross Fuge” is a different beast. A series of slow pauses with sudden interjections and restless pace creates a beautiful tension on stage.
The group’s final notes were met with a deserved standing applause from the Shannon Hall crowd that seemed to last an eternity.
The Emerson Quartet is the first of the many talented groups and individual performers who are scheduled to perform this fall as part of the Wisconsin Union Theater’s longstanding concert series.
The next few weeks bring vibraphonist Joel Ross Oct. 16, followed by Cory Henry Nov. 3. For tickets and more information about the upcoming performances, visit the Wisconsin Union Theater website and follow their associated social media accounts.
PHOTO COURTESY JEFF MILLER. UW COMMUNICATIONS.
AINA MOHD NASER. THE BADGER HERALD
