Going Green in the City of Angels: An Environmental Horror Story

Everywhere is War —Bob Marley

As we work to heal the earth, the earth heals us. —Robin Wall Kimmerer

When I decided to go green and purchase an electric vehicle, I never imagined it would turn into an environmental horror story. As a lover of Mother Earth and father of two, my mission was simple: to reduce my carbon footprint and set a safe example for my children. But instead of a smooth ride toward sustainability, I found myself entangled in a nightmare of corporate negligence, systemic failures, and relentless stress.

I am a breathworker and in order to accept the harsh realities of the auto industry’s malfeasance, regular breathwork sessions help to keep me calm, as I addressed symptoms of a larger societal problem: corporate greed.

Breathwork helps me to maintain equilibrium and let go. Despite these extreme changes in my life, I set a breathwork intention: I am loved.

I practice three part breathwork and it goes like this:

Inhale through the belly 

Inhale through the chest 

Exhale

These are breathwork instructions how how to do breathwork to help process difficult situations in your life.

A Promising Start

My journey began with a memorable, eco-friendly road trip across the country. My two kids and I took an Amtrak train from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., and then rented a Chevy Bolt that seemed to align perfectly with my environmental values. Charging the vehicle at libraries, gas stations, and even a Shell station, I found the experience rewarding and aligned with my mission of helping the environment.

Inhale through the belly 

Inhale through the chest 

Exhale 

A Step Towards Disaster

Encouraged by this positive experience, I decided to purchase my own electric vehicle upon returning to Los Angeles. I visited a local dealership, where the experience quickly turned sour. The dealership pressured me into buying add-ons I didn't want and forced me to take an insurance plan I didn’t need. Despite the high-pressure sales tactics and an exorbitant monthly payment of over $500, I remained committed to my environmental goals.

One of their bigger selling points for the car was pitching me on hundreds of dollars of electric vehicle charging credits. I gladly accepted them and exclusively used their charging stations to charge my car. 

The Struggles Begin

Inhale through the belly 

Inhale through the chest 

Exhale 

My optimism quickly faded as I encountered numerous challenges with my new electric car. A trip to San Diego turned into a perilous ordeal when multiple charging stations failed, leaving me stranded on the 405 freeway with barely enough charge to return home. The stress of potentially being stranded on a busy freeway was unbearable.

I canceled my work trip, which harmed my business of working as an emotional fitness instructor and trainer. Forced to blow off a functional and medicinal mushroom industry trade show, my safety in making it home became paramount. It was dangerous to be left with a low charge, on a freeway notorious for congestion problems. 

To conserve my battery, I drove home with my double blinkers on, in the far right lane, going well under the speed limit. As cars zoomed past me, flying over 75 mph, I barely had enough charge to make it home. 

Upon returning to Los Angeles, I discovered that my car had a broken connection cable to the battery, rendering it unreliable. The dealership provided a rental—a massive, gas-guzzling Chevy Silverado 2500HD LT truck that was the antithesis of my environmental values. Driving the truck was not only embarrassing but also a constant reminder of the environmental harm I was causing, the very thing I was trying to avoid.

Corporate Negligence and Harassment

Breathwork yelling: AHAHAhahahHAhaha 

My ordeal didn’t end there. I faced continuous harassment from the dealership and corporate offices. Despite having a contract that entitled me to a rental, the dealership threatened to report the truck as stolen if I didn’t respond to their messages within 48 hours. The corporate office, meanwhile, denied any responsibility for the dealership’s actions, gaslighting me and claiming no affiliation with the dealership.

As I navigated this maze of corporate negligence and bullying, I sought help from the Lemon Law division, hoping for a resolution. However, even this process was fraught with frustration, as the corporate representatives continued to downplay their responsibilities and gaslight me into feeling like the problem was my fault.

The car rental company, a corporate partner of the EV company, phoned a relative of mine. They informed me that the local dealership stopped payment on my rental truck. I returned the rental truck, even as the harassment continued. 

It's been a nightmare for my relatives, kids, and I. As an author who is writing a book, Breathworker: Branching Out From the Mycelial Network, I can't help thinking that we all deserve better than this type of treatment. 

A Systemic Failure

Breathwork laughing: HAHAHAhAHHA

My story is not just about a faulty car; it’s about the systemic failures that plague our society. It highlights how corporations prioritize profits over people and the environment, and how individuals are often left to fend for themselves in the face of corporate misconduct. My experience underscores the lack of infrastructure to support electric vehicles, the deceitful practices of car dealerships, and the broader societal issues of corporate greed and environmental negligence.

A Call for Change

Inhale through the belly 

Inhale through the chest 

Exhale 

For me, this journey has been a sobering reminder of the challenges we face in trying to live sustainably within a capitalist system that often works against us. My story is a call to action for more robust consumer protections, greater accountability for corporations, and better infrastructure to support sustainable living.

To the person reading this, exhausted from fighting a system that seems designed to thwart your best efforts, I see you; you are not alone in your struggles, and that together, we can push for the changes needed to create a more just and sustainable world.

My ordeal with my electric vehicle is a testament to the resilience required to navigate the complexities of living sustainably today. It is a story of persistence, highlighting the need for systemic change to support individuals in their efforts to live in harmony with the environment.

I am loved

I am loved

I am loved

Addendum 

As this article is published, the parent company has not addressed the harm towards me and my family. 

I have communicated with them via email, voice mail, and over the phone. I sent them this letter on three different occasions. Not once have they acknowledged any of these facts over email. They have not taken any meaningful responsibility for their defective, dangerous, and unsafe car.

As a parent, an environmentalist, and a fellow human being, I hope they eventually address my safety concerns. I am still paying the exorbitant cost of over $500 without a functioning or drivable car.