High gas prices and growing pollution are turning drivers on to tiny cars. But are these glorified roller skates worth the loss of cargo space? And what about safety? 

The economic difficulties of the past few years have caused many Americans to re-examine their spending habits. Like homes, cars are starting to get smaller and more efficient. But are the savings worth the sacrifice? The answer, as always, depends on your needs and priorities, but if saving money and the environment are even marginally important to you, it’s a resounding “YES.”

Smart cars, also known as microcars, are perfect for students, childless couples, or families looking for an economic second car. And while itty bitty versions like the Smartfortwo (pictured above) get all the attention in the parking lot, there are lots of traditional automakers getting in on the action.

Volkswagen recently unveiled its contribution to the microcar market, a less than 12 foot-long model known as the “up!” (above). With only three cylinders and low-emissions, it manages 56 miles per gallon while still offering a backseat and an impressive at 8.8 cubic feet of trunk space.  And don’t think that tiny means uncomfortable: all the fittings are up to the usual Volkswagen standards, and the ambiance is improved by use of dashboard fittings that match the exterior color. The interior also features Volkswagen’s new “maps + more” system, a mobile Personal Infotainment Device (PID).

Toyota, long-renowned for its dependable vehicles, offers a variety of mini-car options. The Scion iQ (above) is definitely the smallest, with only a bit of passenger and cargo space to speak of. But with 37 mpg and all the technological bells and whistles, it’s hard for those on a tight budget to ignore. And if you’re tired of passing up small parking spaces in the city, the 120 inch length (that’s right, 10 feet) will have you jumping for joy. Also from Toyota come the Prius c (for hybrid lovers) and the Yaris (my own personal steed, which fit 3 adults, two pair of skis, a snowboard, and all of our luggage comfortably on our last ski trip).

There’s also the Charlie Sheen-endorsed Fiat Abarth, the Chevy Spark, and Ford Fiesta.

Microcars clearly offer a lot of benefits at the pump, and unlike years ago, this efficiency doesn’t come at the cost of the aesthetically-pleasing features we all love. So, that leaves us with the safety question.

Tiny cars are intended to be inner-city cars that are designed for fun and safe transport at lower speeds, plain and simple. Each one includes safety features like seat belts and airbags, and meets Federal safety standards, but all you have to do is look at one to know there’s not much standing between you and a collision.

In 2009, there were major concerns over the then-new microcars’ safety but the predicted firestorm never emerged. Many earned poor safety ratings in collision test comparisons with larger cars, but some say that’s an apples to oranges question. But the fact is, smaller cars will always be at a disadvantage in an accident with a bigger vehicle, whether it’s Fiat vs. Camry, or Ford Explorer vs. tractor trailer. It’s responsible driving habits that keep you safe 90 percent of the time, SUV or not.

Most experts agree that if you’re looking for great fuel economy and do most of your driving in city conditions, microcars are a smart investment. Along the way, you’ll be able to take advantage of more parking agility, less noise, and reduced emissions. I went tiny and I’ll never go back. How about you?

Image: barteverts

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Hybrid cars are all the rage. But are they really greener?

Some people might call my car a junker, but I roll around town in my 1997 Nissan 200sx with pride. That’s partially because I’m glad to tout my non-preoccupation with shiny new stuff, but mostly because my trusty little subcompact gets 35 miles to the gallon on the highway. That’s right—read it and weep, hybrid-SUV owners. The truth is that, despite the clever marketing, hybrid cars are not always greener than their traditional counterparts—and not just because of gas mileage.

First of all, let’s talk new versus used. Cars require factories to produce them, which require parts, which require raw materials…you get the idea. So that Prius uses a whole lot of energy and resources before ever seeing the sales lot. In fact, Wired magazine estimates that pollution-wise, building a new Prius is equal to burning 1,000 gallons of gasoline.

Given the wastefulness of auto production, it’s often better to buy a used car than a new one, even if the mpg is somewhat lower. Obviously a Hummer is a worse choice than a Prius in almost any case (unless that monstrous vehicle runs on biodiesel), but a car built a decade ago that gets around 30 miles to the gallon is greener than a new hybrid that gets 46 mpg, according to Wired.

Speaking of mpg, not every hybrid gets great gas mileage. The aforementioned SUVs range from 20 to 34 miles to the gallon, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. (Ahem, not quite up to par with my little 2-door.) Hybrid pickup trucks are even more abysmal, with Chevys and GMCs ranging from 20 to 23 mpg. Surprisingly, pricey luxury cars are the worst offenders: a 2013 Lexus LS 600h gets 19 mpg city and 23 highway, and the 2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 gets just 17 mpg city and 24 highway. Yep, that’s 17 luxurious miles per gallon driving on surface streets. But I bet it’s fast.

Despite the eco-unfriendliness of certain models, there are a fair number of hybrids with better mileage than most traditional cars. The 2013 Prius gets 48 mpg city and an impressive 53 mpg highway, while the 2013 Ford C-CMAX gets 47 mpg across the board. Interestingly, you can come close to these numbers with a true blast from the past like the 1986 Honda CRX HF, which gets 42 mpg city and 51 highway — but the repair bills could get steep.

So what’s an eco-lover to do? Emissions-free electric cars are a good choice, but only if you live in an area that produces clean power. Otherwise, think small and used. If you don’t want to risk something too old, a used hybrid might be a good idea. They’ve been out long enough now to hit the used-car circuit and get better mileage than many other options. Whatever model you go with, it’s crucial that you consider the ecological impact of your choice. Transportation emissions are responsible for most of the pollution in the United States, spewing toxins into the air we breathe and contributing to climate change — which affects all of us.

image: SusanAstray

The post Are Hybrid Cars Really Greener? Not Always appeared first on EcoSalon.

Walking becomes a form of art.

Let’s say you’re the first environmental protection non-profit operating in a country with the largest market for cars in the whole world. Let’s say your country’s air pollution problems are getting out of control. Let’s say you want to hammer home the pollution-busting value of walking.

Let’s say you have gallons of  non-toxic, washable, quick-drying green paint.

If you’re Jody Xiong, working with China’s Environmental Protection Foundation, you do this: paint a leafless tree onto a 7-meter wide, 12-meter long white canvas, and lay it over a pedestrian crossing on a busy city street. Next, lay paint-soaked sponges on either sidewalk, so every time a pedestrian crossed the street, they left a trail of green footprints across the canvas…

…making the tree bloom with color.

The symbolism is clear – the more you walk, the greener everything gets – and from its initial pilot on 7 main streets of Shanghai, that message was carried to 132 roads in 15 cities across China, with an estimated 3.92 million participants. A follow-up survey pointed to a sharp rise in eco-awareness in the targeted areas (and to underline the message further, one of the green-trodden canvases is now hanging in the Shanghai’s Zheng Da Museum of Modern Art).

Sometimes a lot of tiny steps can add up to one great big one.

Images: Bored Panda & DDB China

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A seat with a view.

“Journeys are the midwives of thought,” said Alain de Botton in The Art of Travel. “Few places are more conducive to internal conversations than a moving plane, ship or train.” Indeed, some of our favorite travel memories are of the moments in transit: the anticipation of touching down in a new airport, the bone-rattling foreign tuk-tuk rides, the changes in landscape as you traverse a country by train. “At the end of hours of train-dreaming, we may feel we have been returned to ourselves – that is, brought back into contact with emotions and ideas of importance to us,” Botton said. Let this photo collection of scenes from planes, trains, and automobiles take you on a mental journey, and allow your thoughts to roam free.

(above) Reymert, Arizona, USA

Barcelona, Spain

London, England

Valle d’Aosta, Italy

Estrella, Arizona, USA

Malla, Spain

Baghdad, Iraq

Cebu, Philippines

Fuefuki-shi, Japan

Fiji

Arnessysla, Iceland

Bangalore, India

Mt. Fuji, Japan

Glasgow, Scotland

Punta Cana, Mexico

Naperville, Illinois, USA

Copenhagen, Denmark

Lima, Peru

Madrid, Spain

Bangkok, Thailand

Venice, Italy

Edinburgh, Scotland

Phoenix, Arizona, USA

San Francisco, California, USA

Holland

Costanero Norte, Chile

Transsiberian Railway, Russia

Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska, USA

Montevideo, Uruguay

Chicago, Illinois, USA

SEE ALSO:

40 Gorgeous Photos of Europe

40 Gorgeous Photos of North America

40 Gorgeous Photos of Latin America

40 Gorgeous Photos of Asia

40 Gorgeous Photos of Africa

25 Photos of Islands Threatened by Climate Change

View more photo collections here. 

The post 30 Photos of Life in Motion appeared first on EcoSalon.

Because life is sexier when you’re not a gas guzzler.

1. You’re so stealthy in that Prius, I’ll show you how to make some noise.
2. I save so much energy with this car, I can put the leftover to good use.
3. Just because I don’t use crude oil doesn’t mean I don’t like things dirty.
4. This car is small, but we can make it work.
5. Do you like things battery operated?
6. Can I offer you a space to plugin and recharge?
7. I like things with more miles per gallon.
8. Don’t worry, my energy levels never get low.
9. Want to charge up with me?
10. You make me glow as bright as your dashboard.
11. Who needs oil when you’re naturally charged?
12. Want to drive for miles and stare at my dashboard?
13. Nothing is sexier than meeting CAFE standards.
14. You’re so energy efficient.
15. I’d love to use you as two types of fuel.
16. My batteries are designed for extended life.
17. How long is your lifecycle emission?
18. Would you like to buy me dinner with your tax credit?
19. That aerodynamic architecture sure makes you look good.
20. I can feel my energy security rising when I am with you.
21. I bet we could maximize on that kinetic energy.
22. I’ll make sure you idle less.
23. Is that an advanced piece of machinery or are you just happy to see me?
24. How many engines do you have under your hood?
25. If I were a hybrid car, I’d let you hand the control over to my electric engine.
26. I don’t need to keep my engine running when I am with you.
27. I bet your dual source of energy means you’re up for a good time.
28. Don’t let the compact size fool you.
29. Are you as efficient with your hands as you are with your energy?
30. Would you like to improve my fuel economy?
31. You should see MY Stop/Start capability.
32. Did you just say “propulsion power?”
33. What do you say we pull over and plug into the grid?
34. Hold on, let me put on my back up sensor before you say another word.
35. Convert this.
36. You make me want to become a cleaner-burning woman.
37. Did you get the chassis stiffener on your model?
38. What do you say we get some non-toxic cleaners and go wax your car?
39. I’d love to be your hydrogen fueling station.
40. With all the MPG you get, we can totally drive into the sunset like, twice.
41. With all these high gas prices, we should park somewhere and talk.
42. You have a hybrid? You’re so unconventional. I like that.
43. Oh, you have two motors? That’s hot.
44. Your car’s power and movement turns my wheels.
45. Petroleum is so 2000.
46. What’s your favorite cruising speed?
47. This car is roomier than I thought! Does that mean we can recline the seats?
48. Mmmmm… plug in sounds sexy.
49. You’re like your hybrid, so quiet but so powerful.
50. Let’s make sure your gasoline engine doesn’t engage.

ALSO CHECK OUT:

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Image: DaveOnFlickr

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Urbanization and a change in attitude regarding fuel prices could help wean us off this unpredictable resource.

In the summer of 2008, gas prices in the United States hit a record high of $4.11 per gallon. Gas had never broken the $4 barrier before, and it seemed like they could just go right on climbing. In response, we grumbled. We moaned. We made bad jokes about paying with our limbs and our first-born children. Then, we started ditching gas-guzzling vehicles like Hummers and oversized SUVs. We carpooled, combined our errands and found other ways to drive less. A large number of Americans across the political spectrum began supporting renewable energy initiatives and new technologies that could reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

Then prices crept back down again, and we got complacent. While we’re still not driving quite as much as we used to – a factor that probably has more to do with the economy than learning any kind of lesson – most people aren’t exactly lining up to buy the Chevy Volt.

Now, as gas prices threaten to reach new heights, our response is not to push harder than ever for greener solutions. Aside from a drive to use rising fuel prices as political fodder to damage President Obama’s chances of re-election, the nation’s reaction has been a collective shrug of the shoulders. A recent study found that Americans are less reactive to gas prices today than we were four years ago, and that it may take breaking the psychological barrier of $5 per gallon to prompt us into any kind of action.

And once that happens, the rallying cries will probably be more along the lines of “Drill Here, Drill Now” rather than “Go Hybrid.” Because the fact of the matter is, the vast majority of us perceive cheap fuel as a basic right.

There’s a good reason for that. America is the land of personal automobiles. This sprawling nation, with its vast network of highways, is nearly impossible to navigate without a car unless you live in a big city with plentiful public transit options. Just try to get through daily life in a suburb, exurb or rural area without owning a vehicle. Some people manage, riding bicycles, catching rides with others and dealing with inefficient and unreliable bus services. But for most people, it’s just not a viable option. Therefore, we have a certain expectation: if we’re to be productive members of society, we have to be able to get around without taking out a second mortgage just for gas.

It’s easy to find ourselves glaring at the digits displayed on the gas pump. None of us enjoys feeling like we’re being gouged. We place the blame on oil speculators who artificially raise prices by as much as 75 cents per gallon, and angrily decry the record profits that oil companies have been enjoying thanks to their tax breaks and lobbyists. Justly so. But don’t we deserve the blame just as much as they do? In our defensiveness over the need to drive personal vehicles, we too often refuse to make concessions that can help us all move forward into an era of green transportation.

Fossil fuels are a finite resource, a major source of pollution and the cause of numerous international conflicts and wars. We can’t grow oil like we can grow algae or biofuel crops. At this point, we should be thinking of our fossil fuel consumption in terms of transitioning to more sustainable options.

But what is it that we can do, as individuals? Instead of just complaining, we can make even more drastic cuts to our driving than ever before. Those of us who are privileged to live in cities with public transit systems should make use of them as often as possible, and the rest of us should push for the same rights in our own communities. Learn the various ways to use less fuel. Take romantic train rides instead of driving cross-country. Ride your bicycle to the store for that carton of milk. Support political efforts to fund renewable energy innovation. Demand high-speed rail. Spread the word about clean energy, which creates three times more jobs than fossil fuels. Consider moving to the city.

The latter option may, in fact, be the single most effective thing we can do. Urbanization is by far the most efficient way to share resources, and with conscious oversight, cities can be green. Population density frees up rural land for food production, preserves wilderness and increases available green space. The 2010 census shows that many Americans are reversing the suburbanization trend, moving back into urban areas in droves. Although this raises valid concerns about potential suburban blight, and may strain city budgets in the short-term, it’s a crucial step toward a more sustainable future.

Thankfully, despite the prevailing attitudes about gas prices, there’s a dot of light at the end of the tunnel. Hybrid sales are increasing, and many people purchasing new vehicles are paying closer attention to fuel efficiency. General Motors, once again the world’s number one automobile manufacturer, reports that sales of vehicles that get at least 30 miles to the gallon make up 40 percent of its sales, versus 16 percent in 2009.

Like any addiction, cheap fossil fuels will be a hard habit to break. But when it comes down to it, do we really have a choice?

Photo: David Drexler

The post Curbing Our Addiction to Cheap Fossil Fuels appeared first on EcoSalon.

Ford and Ohio State are developing dandelion roots as a potential source of rubber.

Synthetic car plastics will eventually be blowing in the wind like those yellow heads of dandelions, the herbaceous perennial foliage that grows in lawns and alongside highways. Does thinking about it make you want to sneeze? Forget the pollen. Ford has been itching for a new kind of rubber for its cars, and dandelions could be the answer.

Ford’s engineers are teaming with Ohio State on developing the Russian dandelion (or TKS) as a natural rubber source for cup holders, floor mats and interior trim in its vehicles. So far, everything is coming up (cough) roses in this latest effort by the company to revamp its factory and fleet for a sustainable plug-in future.

By harvesting the weeds in neat rows in a greenhouse, researchers are able to learn how to manage the flowers and the sap that seeps from the roots, a potential source of rubber that could be even stronger than automotive plastics. The Southwestern U.S. shrub Guayule might also be used to replace the toxic alternative.

“What we are trying to do is to create sustainability of vehicles from inside and out by figuring out how we can make materials out of renewable recycled materials rather than depending on petroleum products,” says Ellen Lee, a chemical engineer and member of The Ford Research Biomaterials Group in Detroit.  “We are looking at how we can use things we grow to put into our cars.”

Things like soy, which Ford has led the way in tapping to produce polyurethane foam seat cushions, backs and headrests. The parts are now on more than 1.5 million Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles on the road, a reduction in petroleum oil usage of some four million pounds each year. Ford also broke ground with the industry’s first use of a soy-foam headliner on the 2010 Escape and Mercury Mariner for a 25 percent weight savings versus a traditional glass-mat headliner.

“We are committed to using local resources and raw materials that come from the U.S. and Canada,” says Angela Harris, another Ford researcher. “We are in the labs day to day working on products and vising schools, local news stations, public radio stations and start up technology companies to share our mission and the fact the U.S. and Ford are leading the way.”

Along the way, their campaign also reaches out to young women who are a minority in the automotive and engineering fields. The team hopes to set an example of what female scientists can do to expedite the development of responsible parts for vehicles.

“Five of us are moms and are working on biotechnology with Ford,” says Lee. “We are getting out there to say women should pursue careers in engineering since biotechnology is fast becoming a number-one field. ”

In the meantime, they hope to get all of us thinking about how to incorporate available plants as possible materials in our every day lives. It all makes sense when you consider dandelion root is used medicinally to ease everything from a loss of appetite to insufferable intestinal gas, excruciating gallstones, nagging joint pain, muscle aches, eczema and bruises. It helps increase urine production, prompt bowel movements and is a stimulating skin toner, blood and digestive tonic. Some use it to treat infections or to spice up salad greens, soups, wine and teas.

Now that’s some killer weed.

Images: joka2000, Ford, American Recycler

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Ford hopes to electrify consumers as they look to plug-ins over the pump.

It’s hard to compete with Chevrolet and those sexy new ads for the $32,780 Volt voiced by George Clooney. But Ford argues the game plan isn’t really about competition, but rather cooperation when it comes to its soon-to-be released Focus and other electric vehicles. At least this is the message being delivered by John Viera, Director of Sustainable Business Strategies for Ford as he hits events throughout the country to sell the plug-in revolution to drivers facing nearly $4 per gallon at the pumps.

“Collaboration is key and we are partnering with Microsoft, interfacing with utility companies and working together to educate consumers about developing batteries and other technology to bring down the costs,” Viera shared at the recent San Francisco Green Festival. “No one has one piece of magic above anyone else.”

While there is no piece of magic in terms of making the technology, there are edges in making the technology available to motorists to wean them off of fuel. Infrastructure is the operative term in cultivating a plug-in culture.  And it’s evident that Israel has taken the helm with its start-up Better Place, a maker of electric cars that will launch a highway charging enterprise later this year, allowing its drivers to travel anywhere in Israel with a battery range of 100 miles. As with refueling for gas, if they set off from Tel Aviv to the Red Sea they can pull into a Better Place station and swap a low battery for a fully charged one in five minutes. How will motorists know where to find  parking lots with blue-topped charging posts? Try the GPS screen on their dashboards.

While looking to U.S. municipalities to expedite the same kind of access to motorists, Ford is revamping a variety of vehicles in its fleet, preparing to roll out the plug-in Focus in 2012 in the U.S  and Europe, debuting in regions it refers to as “smile states” like Seattle and California where conscious consumers have been quick to adopt the hybrid concept. The current pricing is from about $17,000 to $24,000, considerably less than the Volt plug-in hybrid, a popular choice that reportedly goes 30 days and 1,000 miles between fill ups.

Abroad, Ford’s vehicles now cater to current trends such as ethanol a top choice in Brazil, and diesel, a popular option in Europe. In the meantime, Ford has redesigned its Michigan plant to ideally become a state of the art lab for producing battery operated vehicles of all kinds.

“We want to offer a choice and show there are different ways to have electric,” says Viera, pointing out that Ford’s strategy for keeping costs down is to stick new bodies or “top hats” on an existing platform allowing any one of their vehicles to become electric, from commercial trucks to the Taurus with a quick assembly changeover. “We’re all about high end affordable transportation and the next generation of transit comes off the same platform as the Focus.”

Beyond the bodies, Viera admits that sustainable parts and the instrumentation are also key in easing consumer anxieties over range and resources, including recycled, eco-friendly upholstery and corn-based head rests, along with software instruments on the dashboard for customer feedback, such as Butterflies or various phone apps alerting drivers to how much power remains on their batteries. He says mass marketing must answer the needs of the mainstream with partnering services such as the Best Buy Geek Squad, coming out to install charging equipment in the garages of electric car customers.

“Eventually, all auto companies will have charging stations and Mapquest and other sites will tell you where to go to find them,” says Viera, pointing out the biggest challenges ahead are reducing charge times (now three to four hours for 340 volts), cutting down costs of cars and lithium batteries, and how to properly dismantle and dispose of batteries. There’s even the matter of controlling electro pollution smog by shielding the radiation of vehicles, something Ford tests regularly to meet high standards in regions like the Middle East.

After all, the Middle East is the place to beat in terms of advances. As Shai Agassi, founder of Better Place told Time, the electric car will be the top selling car in the world in less than a decade offering “the biggest financial opportunity the world has ever seen presenting a $10 trillion shift in the industry. “It’s the Internet, and add another zero,” Agassi calculates.

He predicts ordinary Israelis will be driving the Turkish-made Renault Fluence Z.E. sedan as early as November depending on the price of the cars and the costs of charging, the same factors Ford must consider in making electric palpable to consumers tired of paying $70 to fill up. After the car purchase, innovators are now looking to the cell phone rate plan as a model for battery subscriptions, as in Denmark, where the fee is equivalent to $300 a month for mileage of 6,200 miles. A one-time fee of $2,000 also is charged.

Of course this kind of fee is minimal when you consider that in Israel and Denmark, gas is an astronomical $9 a gallon. When the U.S. sees those kinds of prices at the pumps (as Donald Trump promises we will), that financial opportunity Aggasi described will really hit home, and companies like Ford will be glad they began revamping now to meet the anticipated demand.

Images: Ford; Better Place;

The post Ford Revamps Fleet for the Plug-In Revolution appeared first on EcoSalon.

Tips for saving money on gas.

Gas prices are going up, again, and they might not be going down anytime soon. In the short term it’s painful, but in the long term, it may well be a useful reality check. High prices serve as a good motivator for all of us to be mindful of fuel conservation and reduce our own carbon emissions, saving money while we’re at it. Here are 11 ways you can conserve gas on the road, at home, and while you play.

Beware of public transportation. If you have a good public transportation system, by all means, use it. However, the good news is – more people will be using it. The bad news is – more people will be using it. State and federal budgets have been taking a beating, so that means that public transportation systems have had their share of cuts. The American Public Transportation Association has warned Congress that transportation systems could be overloaded if gas prices continue to rise. More funds for public transportation systems are more important now than ever, so start writing your politicians. In the interim, carpooling is another good option, and it goes without saying, drive a car with the best gas mileage that suits your budget and your needs.

Make friends with a mechanic. For those who do not have a public transportation system, no good bike path system, and have to drive – the first step is to make sure your car is in good condition. Correct tire pressure, clean air filters, wheel alignment and good general car maintenance will optimize your gas mileage.

Lose some weight. Get rid of any excess items you are carrying around in your vehicle. Extra weight makes your car work harder and use more gas. Also lose the sports racks, luggage boxes, and any other accessory that creates drag on your car when you aren’t using them.

Learn to (eco)drive. Back to driver’s education class, everyone. Give up your jackrabbit starts, quick braking, variable speeds, and just plain speeding. Embrace the posted speed limit, use cruise control whenever possible, and choose routes that have fewer stops and starts even if they are a little longer distance.

Wear deodorant. Lots of it. Summer is coming, and with it hot temperatures. While late model cars are pretty efficient, running your air conditioning can consume up to 20% more gas, so use the 4-40 rule. When driving under 40 m.p.h, roll down your (four) windows and feel the breeze. Driving over 40 m.p.h. increases the drag on your car (negating any benefit from not using your air conditioning), so roll the windows up and use your air conditioning sparingly. If you really want to avoid any impact on your fuel efficiency, drive with the windows up, the air conditioning off, and use your air vents.

Hone your time management skills. Condense all your errands into one trip on one day, instead of going out multiple days. Also, buy your gas in the early mornings or evenings when it’s cooler. Cooler gas is denser, so you get more for your money (the pump only measures volume).

Cut off ties to activities more than 10 miles away. Find things to do nearby instead. Ones that you can walk or bike to are even better. Learn to love your neighborhood and your town.

Vote for your town to build more bike paths. As much as we need better and extended public transportation, a plan to build more bike paths is a good idea in the long-term, too. Biking or walking is healthier and does more to alleviate carbon emissions than even taking public transportation. Currently, in many places, biking is simply too dangerous to be a good method of transportation. Wider road shoulders and sidewalks, paved bike trails and a refresher course of road rules regarding right-of-way for bicyclists, pedestrians, and drivers are all good ideas.

Let your grass grow. Buck the neighborhood association rules and consider some natural landscaping. If you must have a manicured lawn, take stock of your power tool inventory. Before you get out your power mower, leaf blower, edger, and other gas-driven yard implements, consider replacing them with manual tools. Buy a push mower and use hand clippers, a rake, and a manual edger and you can get a workout, have a beautiful yard, save on gas and lower emissions.

Don’t go into the office. If your work permits it and your boss can be persuaded, work from home when you can.

Rethink your recreation. Gas-powered boats, jet-skis, all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles, dirt bikes, and recreational vehicles are all popular forms of entertainment, but it might be time to change how we spend our free time and look for non-gas-powered alternatives. Some of those weekend activities could become prohibitively expensive this summer.

image: Don Hankins

The post 11 Ways to Save at the Pump appeared first on EcoSalon.

“Real Americans Buy American.” Growing up in the Motor City in the 1970s, that ubiquitous message, proudly displayed on the rear bumpers of so many Mustangs, Caddies and Pontiacs led this young man to wonder what the problem was. If the red, white and blue declarative were true, why would the Detroit Free Press be running what seemed to be a serialized front-page obituary for our town and our industry? Why would that big black number in The News’ headline have so many zeros after it? (How many people were laid off yesterday?) As near as I could tell, there were plenty of Americans around, and if they did what those bumper stickers told me they do, why was Detroit blight central rather than the boomtown my parents grew up in?

Eventually I learned the truth: Real Americans don’t buy American. Real Americans buy what they want.

This bitter truth periodically hits Detroit hard, and each time one has to wonder if the American auto industry’s hubris has led to its final death knell. I watched firsthand the slow motion response of the Big Three to real world energy and design challenges and the resulting economic devastation of the mid- and late-70s, and again in the late-80s and early-90s (when my parents lost their home and the family’s electrical supply business). Today, watching from my safe haven of California, I read stories of urban dystopia and (literally) scorched earth, the only hope being an unusually creative, industrious and determined population.

But once again, and like always it seems, there’s a blip in the flatline. Could there be life?

As Detroit’s North American International Auto Show enters its 23rd year as an international event, the city’s hometown industry isn’t looking so bad. Last year, reports Business Insider , saw Ford get back its number-two U.S. automaker slot after having lost that position to decelerating Toyota, while the top three fastest-growing brands were from General Motors. “Even Chrysler — a company once left for dead — gained U.S. market share and closed the gap with Honda, despite having a dearth of new models versus its well-stocked Japanese competitors.” (Tangentially, Business Insider, probably a good idea to can the “Pearl Harbor in reverse” rhetoric. It’s a bad week for kill-the-enemy hyperbole.)

Here’s more good news from the Wall Street Journal: Ford announced that it’s going to hire 7,000 workers and is expected to report that 2010 was one of the most profitable years in its 100-plus-year history. Meanwhile, GM says it had a strong end to the year, finishing with more than $20 billion in liquidity and that it expects to hire more U.S. workers if annual sales meet their expected forecasts. As for offerings, reports the Journal, the “40 new vehicles that will be unveiled represent an increase from 27 new models that debuted at the 2010 edition of the show… Chrysler will show off 13 models in addition to the 300 that have been completely redesigned or significantly overhauled. GM will show the Sonic and a compact Buick. Ford will feature a compact minivan based on the European C-Max model, as well as a battery-powered version of its Focus.”

Could the Big Three be getting it? Are they finally giving Americans what they want? Consider that this better-than-okay news is emerging from a horrifying industry free fall that began in 2008 and featured the bankruptcy reorganizations of GM and Chrysler in 2009. “Last year’s show had a funereal feel—spartan displays, sparse attendance, few of the lights, loud music and theatrical unveilings that had become the show’s trademark,” reports the WSJ. So keep in mind from where this upbeat news is coming from. When there’s nowhere to go but up, you won’t be penalized for thinking that any movement is good movement.

It also remains to be seen if this upswing is the result of a slow but sure economic surge that has buyers beginning to make those big purchases they put off for so long. Whether or not new offerings and reconfigured corporate structures will have the impact everyone hopes for won’t be determined in the immediate future. But one thing’s for certain; the old adage is true: “when the nation catches a cold, Detroit gets pneumonia.” The thing is, for the infirm, pneumonia can be fatal. And for Detroit, that adage isn’t funny anymore.

Image: country_boy_shane

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