Gerrie Clemens Drives a Cleaner Future — While Saving Thousands
“What does it look like to live in alignment with the future we’re fighting for? Every EV on the road is a step in the right direction.”
Geraldine Clemens powers up her new Chevy Bolt EUV Premiere at a downtown Santa Barbara public EV charging station.
Military veteran, San Luis Obispo resident, and CEC Climate Stewards alum Geraldine “Gerrie” Clemens has spent decades fighting for a healthier planet. She organized San Luis Obispo’s End Dependence Day of Action in 2023 — a statewide effort to phase out neighborhood oil drilling. As she brought community members together and learned more about the far-reaching impacts of fossil fuels, she asked herself, “What does it look like to live in alignment with the future we’re fighting for?”
The next step felt clear. It was time to say goodbye to her gas-powered car. When a fellow SLO Climate Coalition member told Gerrie that CEC could help unlock EV incentives she qualified for, she picked up the phone without hesitation.
We helped Gerrie claim a $7,500 federal tax credit, a $4,000 PG&E rebate, and a $3,000 3CE rebate for her new Chevy Bolt EUV Premiere, dropping the price from $24,500 down to just $10,000. Her savings doesn’t stop there. Gerrie also received a $2,000 credit for EV charging from the Driving Clean Program. Her housing complex offers complimentary EV charging as well, and she uses the PlugShare app to find reliable chargers on the road.
Gerrie’s story is a reminder that climate action is both personal and collective. Whether you're rallying your community, pushing for policy change, or switching to an electric vehicle, every effort counts. “It is up to us to create a culture where climate responsibility is the norm, not the exception,” Gerrie said. “Every EV on the road is a step in the right direction.”
