La Conner Weekly News - Your independent hometown award-winning newspaper

By Greg Whiting

What's the quickest way to significantly reduce how much you pay for energy, make the U.S. more energy independent and reduce your carbon footprint?

The answer is the same for all three questions. Buy an electric vehicle, called an EV, and use it as much as possible instead of a gasoline-powered car. (Hybrids will also help, but not as much.)

If you haven't driven an EV, try one. They're fun. With no mechanical inertia, and instant torque at the wheels, a subcompact EV accelerates like an expensive gasoline sportscar.

Energy cost savings are significant. Washington driver...