Buying a car usually means contributing to one of the strongest forces against the environment: pollution. The fumes add to the smog hovering above us. Oil spills can bring damage to our water supply. These add to our global climate promoting global warming which, in turn, will give us more trouble in the future. Cars impact the environment from the time they are being made up until they are disposed. This makes you think. Should you not buy cars at all? Not necessarily. You can buy green.

“Green cars” is the term for more environmental friendly cars as opposed to traditional all-petroleum vehicles. These cars are usually smaller and lighter, using less energy. However, to go green, there are also some measures people can do to reduce their consumption of energy. Cars can use biofuels instead of petroleum fuels, using renewable energy. Drivers can enhance fuel economy by removing unnecessary items that add to the weight of the car. Drivers can also consolidate trips by planning and carpooling.

Numerous green cars have already been introduced into the market. Hybrids are good examples. Hybrids are partly electric and partly petroleum powered cars. Examples of these are the Toyota Prius, Ford Escape Hybrid, and Toyota Camry Hybrid. They have better gas mileage, cleaner emissions, and help you save money. They can be a bit more expensive to buy, but you can often get your money back in 5 years or less thanks to the better fuel economy.

Biodiesel is also an option you can take. This is a clean, carbon-neutral fuel that is vegetable-based. It should run in any diesel car or truck with no engine modifications required.

Electric cars are also gaining popularity. An example of an electric car is the Dodge Zeo. These are cars that run on an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine. The car has an electric battery that needs recharging between uses. There are also hybrid cars with batteries that can be charged externally. These are called the plug-in hybrid vehicles. These are just some of the types of cars that are more efficient and have better fuel economy than most conventional cars.

Clearly, there are already choices out there for the environmentalist in you. Considering the savings in fuel, another reason to buy one of these cars would just be the savings over time. Buying a car does not necessarily mean you will be harming the environment. With the right practices and the right green car, you not only get convenience and comfort, but you’re helping the earth as well.

SUVs are notorious for being gas guzzlers. They have been known to be extravagant and high maintenance. For those who need them for any practical reason such as living in rural areas or using them for business, their SUV’s high fuel consumption is something that they simply put up with. However, with hybrid technology and some green driving practices, owning an SUV does not have to be the ecological or economical isue that some worry about.

Hybrid SUVs, such as the Ford Escape, Lexus RX 400h, Saturn Vue, Toyota Highlander, and Mercury Mariner, are definitely an answer to the fuel efficiency issue. But what about all those people who have regular SUVs? How do they get the best out of having a non-hybrid SUV then?

Greening your SUV is a simpler, more practical approach to addressing fuel efficiency. This is primarily done by cutting down your fuel consumption. How exactly do you go about this feat? The following are tips on increasing your SUVs fuel economy:

1. Drive at a reasonable speed. If traffic allows it, drive even slower. Aggressive driving consumes a lot of gas.
2. Brake and accelerate correctly. By “correctly”, we mean “slowly”. It actually means keeping the ride smooth and your speed controlled.  In traffic, it is better to keep a little bit more distance so you have time to anticipate braking or accelerating. If you have cruise control, use it.
3. Maintain your car well. Make sure that your tires are inflated to the correct level. Look into chip tuning, which can both increase power and save gas simultaneously. Also, use the correct grade of motor oil.
4. Keep your vehicle as light as possible. Remove items such as strollers and car seats when you don’t have the baby with you. Remove bikes and other items you know you won’t be using for a certain trip. If it’s not winter, remove your snow tires and chains. Other than your spare tire and some tools for emergencies, you should keep your trunk empty.
5. Idle not. If you know that your car won’t be moving for more than 30 seconds, turn it off. Starting the car does use up gas, but idling uses up a fixed amount of gas over a particular period of time.
6. Drive less. Walk, bike, and carpool when you can. Combine trips, so you accomplish all the things that need to be done in one go. Running errands have to be planned for it to be done efficiently, fuel-wise and otherwise.

If you do the steps listed above, you can again be a happy owner of an SUV. In fact, with technology and green driving practices, SUVs can be a wise choice for some drivers.