Living green and the hybrid connection

Living green may mean taking a walk or busting out that bicycle in place of using your car when you get a chance, but the truth is that automotive transportation is at times the only way to travel. There are ways to reduce your carbon gas emissions when you have no other choice, such as carpooling, taking public transportation, and grouping your trips, but when it comes to your actual car there are still things you can do. This includes keeping it regularly serviced and checking the filters, keeping the tires properly inflated, and even your style of driving can affect your gas mileage. Still the fuel that your standard car runs off of is still going to be gas; that is unless you have a hybrid car.

Hybrid cars have burst onto the scene and were gobbled up by hungry living green individuals, and also of course wealthy celebs looking to make a statement. These cars run off of a dual energy source and while most still utilize a gas component they also have an electric one. The price tags on these vehicles may be steep, but you could save that from the reduction of your gasoline dependent. When it comes to hybrid cars you have three different varieties.

A full or strong hybrid gives you the ability to run solely off of either the gas or electric power or a combination of the two; these include the Nissan Altima Hybrid, Toyota Prius, or Ford Escape Hybrid. Assist or power assist hybrids, such as the Saturn Aura Hybrid or Honda Civic Hybrid, can't be powered by just the electric motor. Finally, a mild hybrid like the Chevy Silvderado Hybrid are able to reduce gas usage by turning the engine off whenever possible like at a red light; these do so because they can start up again fast enough to get you going as soon as you need to.

Depending on your budget and your driving habits you can then find the right kind of hybrid for your green living needs. These cars have come a long way in only a short period of time to make them not only more accessible to the public but more realistic as well. Many people were left wondering if they could really take their electric motor powered car on long treks without being left stranded should they not be near a recharge depot. This is negated because when you are driving off of the gas engine you are in fact charging the electric motor at the same time; but even further advances have now lad to longer battery life, and the soon to be released 'plug-in' cars that have also been able to make this less of a worry. These next wave of hybrids will allow you to run on electric alone for up to 40 miles a day between charges, and then when you do you can charge it up you can do so with the use of the gas engine or by just plugging it into a regular outlet.

Photo credit: Ricardo Diaz