Happy Earth Day – Choosing A Green Car

When it comes to what we can do to reduce global warming, how and what we drive are two of our most powerful choices. Transportation is the biggest source of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, more than factories or homes according to the Environmental Defense Fund.

Today is all about conserving energy and taking care of the environment. So why not look into the greenest cars benefiting the environment? Yahoo Autos recently released their list of top 100 cars by green rating according to unhealthy smog, greenhouse emissions of greenhouse gases, consumption of fuel, general pollution from manufacturing the vehicle.

It’s hard to imagine that we create pounds of global warming pollution when we drive, but the exhaust coming out of our car has actual weight. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, two medium-sized sedans emits more than 20,000 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO₂) a year from an average household. That's 10 tons of pollution adding to the greenhouse effect! SUVs tend to emit more global warming pollution than smaller cars—as much as 40 percent more exhaust.

Green cars truly are the new craze from the reasonably priced, completely electric new Nissan Leaf or the sporty Tesla Roadster. The benefits of a greener car are endless but can include reducing the amount you spend on gas, minimizing harmful emissions in the environment and even the occasional drop in monthly car insurance rates. Cars with better gas mileage provide a triple benefit by protecting the climate, cutting America's oil dependency and saving money at the pump.  As if you need any more reasons to go green, consider the trendiness factor as you can align yourself with all the celebrities who proudly traded in their gas guzzlers for a more earth-friendly mode of photo-ops transportation.

We can’t walk down the street any more without passing by a recycle bin or being encouraged to conserve energy. So in honor of Earth day, do what you can today to be more efficient. Consider the benefits of purchasing a greener car next time you’re in the automobile market. The future of our great planet starts with you. Big and small changes can add up and make a real difference in the fight against global warming.

[Source: Environmental Defense Fund, Yahoo Autos]