In an ideal world, everyone would drive a hybrid vehicle, saving the earth from the harm caused by fuel emissions and saving the driver lots of money due to higher fuel efficiency. Obviously this is a very unlikely scenario though and gas-guzzling SUVs still rule the road. But just because you don't own a hybrid, doesn't mean you can't drive in an evnironmentally responsible way.

Simple steps could save £2.2 billion in fuel each year currently wasted because of sloppy driving habits including poor trip planning and vechicle air-conditioning abuse.

The RAC, a U.K. car transportation organization has some useful tips to increase your vehicle's fuel efficiency and decrease the negative effects driving can have on othe environment.

- Check the pressure of your tires to ensure they are properly inflated. Tires that aren't adequately inflated make your engine work harder, thus requiring the use of more fuel.

- Take some weight out of your trunk by getting rid of anything unneccessary. Added weight at the rear of your car increases fuel consumption because of the load on the engine.

- Following a regulated speed limit reduces emissions and will save you money in the long run.

- Of course there will be times when you'll hit unexpected traffic snafus, but try to avoid these by traveling when traffic flow is steadier and doesn't require you to idle or stop and start your car repeatedly.

- Speaking of idling, try your best to avoid it, but if you anticipate you'll be in the same place for three minutes or longer, it's better to turn off the engine until you need to move again.

- Plan ahead and research your route to a location before you get in the driver's seat. Google and Yahoo both have easy-to-use map features to help you plan your trip. Sometimes you'll discover shorter alternate routes you didn't know about, and you'll avoid getting lost and driving around searching for your destination.

» Guardian

Cooler temperatures and snow don't exactly conjure up images of a leisurely bike ride to work, but believe it or not, there are people who use a bike as theier main source of transportation year-round. Cee Bee actually does it, even when the temperatures in Ecollo-land reach a few degrees above certain death.

If you're looking for a way to save some money by parking your vehicle, don't let a chilly wind dissuade you, just make sure you're properly prepared and get pedalling.

You can learn the best way to effectively bundle up after the jump, but here are a few tips:

☆ Make sure you have adequate warm clothing. This is not the time to worry about how fasionable you look. Layer with long underwear, warm pants that block wind or water (or both), and ski goggles. Yes, ski goggles. They'll help you keep your eyes trained on the path in front of you rather than squinting as you ride into a cold wind.

☆ Keep your hands warm with a pair of gloves, newspaper and thick mittens.

☆ Since your face is the body part that will receive the worst of the wind, make sure you cover yours adequately. You'll look a bit like Darth Vader when you're done, but you probably won't lose your nose to frostbite. That's a good thing

Check out the remaining tips after the jump!

» Instructables

There are several reasons you may choose to do your own oil changes, but if it's a task you choose to undertake yourself, you'll want to ensure you're familiar with proper disposal instructions of to avoid causing any harm to the environment in the process.

Why you need to be so careful
Making a small mistake can be costly to the earth - the seemingly small amount of used oil from one vehicle is substantial enough to pollute one million gallons of fresh water. Not only does this pose a problem for drinking water, it can also harm animals such as birds, whose feathers become stuck from the substance. Oil is not easily degradable and contains toxic chemicals and heavy metals.

Why you should recycle it
The reasons listed above are just a start; making sure your used oil ends up in a safe place not only prevents these types of problems from occurring, it also means it can be used again. Used oil can be turned into new oil at a refinery, processed into fuel oils or used as raw materials. In fact, one gallon of the stuff provides the same two-and-a-half quarts of lubricating oil as 42 gallons of crude oil.

If every single person who changes their own oil were to recycle it, the amount would be provide enough motor oil for 50 million vehicles each year, helping to significantly reduce dependency on foreign oil.

What can be recycled
Motor oil from your car, truck, motorcycle, boat, lawn mower and farm equipment can all be recycled.

How to recycle your oil
When you drain the used oil from its filter, makes sure you use a container that has not previously been used for household chemicals  is safe from leakage and that has a lid that seals properly.

Check around at your local car maintenance shops to see if they recycle used motor oil or know of a disposal facility that you can take it to. You can also check the Filter Council website for more information regarding proper recycling tips for used oil.

» Environmental Protection Agency

It's one thing to drive a vehicle that's called "eco-friendly" - it's another to actually know why and how said vehicle is better for the environment than the one your neighbor is driving? Do you know what the difference is between a hybrid and a plug-in electric vehicle? Don't feel too bad if you don't because you're far from the only one.

Here's a brief rundown of the what's what in environmentally-conscious vehicles so the next time someone asks you your thoughts on the low-emission trend, you can nod knowledgeably and add your two cents to the conversation. Or even better, make a green choice should you be in the market for a new set of wheels!

Plug-in electric
Plug-in electric vehicles have no emissions thanks to an internal combustion engine that does not require the use of a gasoline-powered engine. Instead they use battery packs and energy from your local grid, but do not require the frequent trips to a local station or the accompanying oil changes of a more traditional vehicle. Nor do they have the fuel tank and other components of the car you are probably used to driving. Instead you simply plug your vehicle into an electrical outlet, much the way you would with your cell phone that requires recharging.

Though electric cars have no fuel emissions to consider, they do consume electricity and should the demand for the vehicles ever be great enough, could significantly increase the demand for electricity.

Hydrogen-powered
A hydrogen-powered vehicle may be one of the most eco-friendly of all - a vehicle that runs on clean water with absolutely no carbon emission. But is it realistic? Experts say not yet, though there is a push to make it happen. The BMW Hydrogen 7 version of a hydrogen vehicle has been a hit with celebrities like Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Kristen Davis, while America Ferrera (aka Ugly Betty) has been rumored to be a fan of the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell. However, the fact remains, the high costs of manufacturing fuel cell vehicles and the lack of infrastructure to actually support them.

In a car with a hydrogen internal combustion engine, the hydrogen burns the same was as the fuel does in a traditional vehicle. In a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen produces water and electricity to power an electric traction motor.

Solar-powered car
This type of vehicle almost explains itself. Much the same as solar panels work to power a home, they work to provide power to a car. These panels are used to generate electricity by converting sunlight into energy. Because sunlight is already used to provide heat and electricity to homes, some hold onto the hope that they can revolutionize the auto industry.

Currently solar cars are mostly built as an experiment by teams in a competition, not as viable vehicles to be purchased on a lot by consumers. These cars use different types of batteries in its electrical system including lead-acid batteries, nickel-metal hydride and Lithium ion batteries. 

Hybrid
Hybrid vehicles use two sources of power, such as the internal combustion engine you would find in a traditional vehicle with a rechargeable system such as a battery or an electric motor. Hybrids are not just limited to the production of cars, but include SUVs, trucks and even buses.

The two sources used in hybrid vehicles is rapidly expanding to include plug-in hybrids, diesel-electric hybrids that rely on bio diesel and even hydrogen fuel cell hybrid.

Fuel-efficient
These vehicles don't technically classify as one the green cars as they do not necessarily utilize any of the aforementioned technology. Instead these vehicles are "traditional" ones that get great gas mileage and have reduced emissions.

It also turns out the even the newer cars don't always equal the best; often times older models of some cars get more miles per gallon. The 1996 Geo Metro XFI for example, achieves the same number of miles per gallon as the Toyota Prius, however without the recent manufacturing process to factor in.

» Plug In America

Emissions, miles per gallon, recyclable - all are words or terms used often on the eco-friendly side of the automotive industry. Maybe you've decided your next vehicle will definitely be an earth-conscious one, or maybe you're still toying with the merits of buying green. Regardless of your position, there are still specific characteristics to look for in any vehicle purchase you make if you have the goal of reducing the environmental impact of your wheels.

Miles per gallon
Miles per gallon, or mpg, is exactly as the name indicates and refers to the fuel economy of a vehicle - as in the amount of fuel required to travel a specific distance. The more fuel efficient vehicles go a further distance per unit of fuel. In other words, size does matter here because the bigger the number, the better in this case. For example, the Toyota Highlander has a rating of 21 mpg for city driving and 31 mpg for highway driving, while the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is rated 33 mpg in the city and 34 mpg. Which if broken down further, means the hybrid will travel 12 and 13 miles further during city and highway travel respectively than the conventional Highlander.

Emissions
The emissions your vehicle releases into the air depends are dependent on several factors including the type of vehicle you use, the distance you travel, the way you drive and where you go. For every liter of gasoline your vehicle uses, 2.4 kilograms of carbon dioxide are produced. The vehicle you drive is also important to consider; for example, if you drive 20,000 km per year, a standard SUV is responsible for six tonnes of emissions, a mid-sized sedan will produce four tonnes and a gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle is responsible for two tonnes.

If you know you'll be driving a substantial distance throughout the year, choosing a vehicle that outputs few emissions is essential to reducing the environmental impact of your driving habits.

Recycled/recyclable materials
Check to see if any components of the vehicle you are interested in are made from recycled parts or material. For example, the 2008 Ford Escape features cloth seats made from recycled material, while Mazda and Toyota both re-used old bumpers to make new ones. Ten per cent of the plastic in Mini Cooper car comes from recycled material. The radiator side baffles belonging to Cadillac's SRX are made from 50 per cent recycled rubber, an initiative that ended up saving 2,000 old tires from landfills during the 2004 production year.

In even better news, it turns out that often times over three-quarters of a vehicle's materials are recyclable, including plastic, rubber and vinyl. Nearly 100 per cent of the metal from old cars is recycled and used in the production of new vehicles. And according to Ward's Motor Vehicle Facts and Figures, 84 per cent of a vehicle's content is recycled these days.

Engine size
Generally the bigger a vehicle's engine, the more fuel it will burn to generate torque and horsepower. This tends to be the case with engines six cylinders or larger. Generally the fewer cylinders a vehicle with a smaller engine has, the more fuel-efficient it will be.

If you still can't give up your gas-guzzler habit and aren't about to start driving a hybrid vehicle, look for a vehicle that offers variable displacement technology such as Honda's Variable Cylinder Management, which deactivate the cylinders of a vehicle when not in use to improve the unit's fuel economy. This way your vehicle won't burn fuel it doesn't require under normal driving conditions.

Electric/Hybrid/ Vehicles
A hybrid vehicle uses two sources of power, typically gasoline and electricity these days, to power a vehicle. Think of it as a compromise. You'll gain fuel efficiency and reduce the pollution generated by a gasoline-only vehicle without losing the convenience of traveling longer distances when need be, which can be the case if an electric car needs recharging.

Manufacturing process
The green features of a vehicle itself are not the only factors to consider. If you're trying to truly make an earth-conscious choice, look into the manufacturing process behind the vehicles you may purchase. While a big truck or SUV may not be fuel-efficient, it's possible it was still made in an eco-friendly way. A Ford plant in River Rouge, Michigan for instance, uses technology to conserve energy at the facility, gets hot water and energy from solar panels and features a green roof (literally), over 10 acres of rain-filtering plants that also turns harmful carbon emissions into oxygen.

On the other hand, a choice like the Toyota Prius Hybrid may be less harmful to the environment when on the road, but as it's being built, uses a battery containing nickel that is made while releasing toxic sulfur dioxide fumes into the atmosphere and killing the plant's surrounding vegetation.

In other words, appearances can be deceiving. This could be true of any vehicle you are contemplating so be sure to do your research in advance so you can make the choice that's best for you - and the earth.

» Edmunds.com

Ethanol: it's been a significant part of the news in the past year and you're probably aware that it's associated with corn, but what exactly is it?

The basics
Simply put, ethanol is a renewable alternative fuel made from converted carbon-based feed stocks including corn, sugar cane, sugar beets, barley and switch grass. It can be mixed with gasoline at varying amounts or used in its pure form, also known as E100, though not all vehicles are equipped to run on pure ethanol. Currently ethanol blends are available at most gas stations and are made with smaller amounts of ethanol.

Ethanol is believed by some as a possible solution that may help reduce the use of gasoline and diesel, both common fossil fuels that most standard vehicles run on today.

The process
To convert wheat and corn into ethanol fuel, a hammermill is used to expose the starch of the kernels. It is then mixed with water, cooked for a short time and converted to sugar by adding enzymes, which uses a chemical reaction known as hydrolysis. The sugars are then fermented by adding yeast, and the resulting ethanol is distilled and dehydrated to separate the mixture and remove water.

The controversy
Ethanol is not without its share of opponents who point out that fossil fuels are used in the production of ethanol, thus generating substantial carbon emissions. Ethanol itself is environmentally friendly, as it does not create carbon emissions and simply recycles into plant matter when it is released. It is biodegradable and not considered toxic.

Unfortunately ethanol is also cited as one of the contributing factors to a global food crisis this year, due to its high demand and the subsequent price hike. The U.S. government offered subsidies promoting the use of corn for ethanol and estimates last April indicated approximately one-third of corn crops in the U.S. were being diverted to fuel production rather than being used as food.

The future
Alternative sources are being explored to use in the production of ethanol, including wood, agricultural residue and cellulose. Further development of these alternatives could relieve some of the pressure of using food for the production of ethanol and is therefore considered more sustainable. However some believe the recent filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection by ethanol producer VeraSun Energy and the election of Barack Obama as the new U.S. president could shift attention away from ethanol to focus more on solar and wind technology.

» Natural Resources Canada