Paul Scott of Santa Monica is kind of a big deal in the world of electric vehicle advocacy.
He co-founded the national group Plug In America in 2005 in reaction to major car companies’ decision to pull their early electric-vehicle models from the road. That aggressive retreat from the market – and Scott’s role in publicizing it – were featured heavily in the 2006 documentary, “Who Killed the Electric Car?”
Since then, Scott has advocated for the kind of systemic policy changes – federal and state incentives, a carbon tax and so forth – to push mass EV adoption. I should know, because in the 14 years I edited the L.A. Times’ letters page, I published several of his submissions.
Recently, Scott has adopted a more confrontational approach
In the video, Scott explains why he decided after President Trump’s reelection to take his message directly to drivers. From his spot in front of an Arco on Pico Boulevard, he lectures drivers fueling up that their purchase of gasoline supports Trump and imperils democracy. It’s a more in-your-face style than many other climate activists advocate, but Scott – who says he has lost friends over this – has become alarmed by the continued burning of fossil fuels and feels it’s time to start taking his message to the pump.
