Saving the Environment

America pays too high a price for oil: Political corruption, environmental havoc, foreign policy and quagmires. Big oil companies are making out like bandits as most citizens struggle to make ends meet. A recent study found that the oil industry is raising prices faster than its costs go up. And when costs go down, prices at the pump donÐŽ¦t follow. What happens to all of those profits? Some of them buy special favors in Washington. In the last decade, the oil industry donated $131 million to federal campaigns. And the government is stuffed with former oil industry executives, including President Bush and Vice President Cheney. ThatÐŽ¦s why the energy legislation before Congress is a boon to Big Oil but a bomb to taxpayers. LetÐŽ¦s never forget the toll on our national security. In peace time, we spend over $50 billion dollars every year to defend the Persian Gulf. Today, our brave troops are in harmÐŽ¦s way with no clear exit plan. And the environmental costs? Smog, bad air days, and climate change. Childhood asthma rates are sky rocketing. How can we knowingly pass these perils off to the next generation? ThereÐŽ¦s a better way. Americans are the worldÐŽ¦s greatest industrial innovators. ItÐŽ¦s time to invest in a new generation of technology, put millions of efficient cars on the road, and begin the shift to renewable fuels. ItÐŽ¦s time to free ourselves from foreign oil, and create millions of good new jobs in the process. This is no pipe dream. The research and technology exist. We have the national wealth. Do we have the will?

Well it appears that America is in agreement and has put forth an effort to make a change. The fuel efficient car created to cut gas prices in half and make a difference on the toll vehicles have taken on the environment. Yes, the cost of gasoline has risen dramatically in the last year and this expense is forcing changes in the equipment that consumes the gasoline. Now consumers have more choices than just the best gas mileage cars available, there are also several other options to pursue fuel efficient cars. As some drivers decide to go green, they need to consider all of the alternatives to find the right solution for them.

Hybrid cars are growing in popularity because they reduce gasoline consumption by use of electric power to supplement/replace the gas engine when operating the vehicle below peak power requirements at idle or highway cruising. Although this combination does increase gas mileage, increase range and help preserve fossil fuel, it does not automatically qualify a hybrid as an economy car. Currently, the sticker prices for hybrid versions are significantly higher than the standard production models, diluting the overall savings.

Flex fuel vehicles are another approach to using less oil that is steadily gaining in popularity. Flex fuel or ethanol is a blend of gasoline and corn based ethanol and it provides more power while burning cleaner than pure gasoline. Minor revisions to any production car will allow use of this alternative car fuel and the vehicle will still be able to use pure gasoline. Use of these cars is currently limited by the scarcity of locations which distribute flex fuel.

Of course, there are still many other innovations to consider. Hydrogen fuel cells have been under development for some time. Electric cars are now commercially available as are natural gas cars. Many car manufacturers are also building smart engines which partially shut down for idling and cruising and provide full power only for acceleration or towing.

Not all efforts to improve fuel efficiency depend on vehicle technology. Drivers can have a major role in fuel economy by changing their habits. Eliminating jack rabbit starts, reducing average speed and keeping tires fully inflated can result in substantial increases in fuel economy.

Most Hybrid critics warn of expensive repairs associated with the hybrid-specific parts, such as battery packs. All the hybrid-specific components in every hybrid vehicle currently on the market are covered by warranty for 8 years/100,000 miles or 10 years/150,000 miles, depending on the state, but these components have been shown to have a much longer lifespan in testing.

Most hybrid cars do not require any additional regular maintenance on the hybrid-specific components. One exception is an air filter on the battery system of the Ford Escape Hybrid, which needs to be replaced every 40,000 miles. The gasoline engine in a hybrid vehicle requires the same maintenance that it would if it were the only power source driving the vehicle. That means oil changes every 5,000-10,000 miles depending on the vehicle and the driving conditions.

In ordinary vehicles the brake pads need to be changed regularly. But because of the regenerative braking systems in hybrids, the brake pads typically last much longer. In regenerative braking systems, the electric motor becomes a generator and captures energy that would be lost when the vehicle's brakes are applied or when the vehicle is coasting. The energy is transformed into electricity, which recharges the batteries and can be reused to increase fuel-efficiency. Additionally, reduced heat means less wear on the brakes.

Motor vehicles are responsible for almost a quarter of annual US emissions of carbon dioxide, the primary global-warming gas. The US transportation sector emits more CO2 than all