Top five trucks for gas mileage   by Rich Marsiglia

A few years ago, people would scoff at you if you told them that you were looking for trucks with the best gas mileage. But, as truck sales began to slip downwards, manufacturers started giving due importance to this factor. Today, there has been a dramatic change in the scenario.

The rising costs of gas, has propelled potential truck buyers to go for trucks that can meet their gas mileage demands. Truck makers have now taken firm steps to improve the fuel economy of their makes at all levels.

Usually the ranking of the top five trucks based on gas mileage is founded on a combination factors. The prime parameters are the fuel economy rating given by EPA, the transmission of the vehicle, and its inherent popularity amongst car buyers. The formula for calculation for most gas mileage rankings is a combination of the city mpg rating, which forms 55 percent of criterion, and the highway mpg rating that completes the remaining criteria.

It is really very difficult to bring forth a list that enumerates the top 5 trucks on the basis of fuel efficiency. Not one, not two, but three trucks hold the first rank. This spot is shared by the 2006 Ford Ranger one of the premier trucks that are out in the market today. Ford has made it a point to come out with trucks that offer the best gas mileage. This is why most of their newer models find a place on the best gas mileage list year after year.

However, all the trucks, which feature in the list, have the same engine; the 2006 Ford Ranger is a supremely refined version of its older model that came out in 2005. It has the better off-road capability then other trucks in the rankings and is one of the best alternatives in your search for a truck giving you the best gas mileage.

The completely redesigned 2006 Toyota Tacoma comes next in the list. The Toyota Tacoma is one of the roomier trucks available in the market and its looks are an epitome of sophistication. The only disadvantage of the 2006 Toyota Tacoma is its price tag. It is more expensive then the others.

If you are looking for something on the cheaper side then the 2006 Mazda B-series is the truck that you must go for. A fuel-efficient truck delivers on its promise. It is called in some circles as the bargain pickup truck. Don't expect styling and comfort but you do get an unashamed practicality with this vehicle.

The Toyota Tundra is the next in line of your picks. It comes with 4.0 liter V6 engine that is geared to give you competitive gas mileage. The truck gives you a mileage of 20 /mpg on the highway and a 16/mpg when you drive in the city.

The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 comes a close fifth in the rankings. It comes with a mild hybrid engine that enables the electric motor to keep the vehicles running when idle so the gas engine can be shut off.

Description: When looking for trucks with great gas mileage, the list can be pretty large. You will have a wide variety to choose from. Select the one that best suits your requirement. This article lists out the top five!

About the Author

Author Rich Marsiglia, ATM Restyle Truck Accessories | Tonneau Covers | Nerf Bars.

Posted by forestwonderer at 9:20 AM EDT

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Author: Hallidae Thomason

 As we face the ever present hot-topic of global warming that is
constantly shoved in our face with videos of glacial melting on
the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro to the graphs with that predict
the height of sea level over the tallest building in LA by the
year 2050. Sensational? Yes. Accurate? The jury is still out
for sure. What doesn’t hurt either way is to focus on energy
conservation which is just good practice if not world saving.

It is important to note that when I talk about energy
conservation I am not referring to sacrificing comfort or
productivity for the sake of saving money. I am talking about
improving the efficiency of the work that we do through
improved systems engineering, use of alternate fuels, and
better engine technology. This saves money and time (which is
money) and is a good use of the natural and limited resources
that we still have on this lonely planet.

It is amazing what can be done to improve a situation in terms
of motivation. With the proper motivation a couch potato can
sprint away from a large toothy beast that is attacking them,
or a company can clean up emissions if threatened to be
shutdown if noncompliant, you get the idea. It’s too bad that
this motivation has to be negative in the majority of cases but
if it produces something positive than so be it. That is how I
view all this global warming fervor. If it is true than that is
scary and we had better do something to improve our energy
conservation skills. If it isn’t true than let’s just pretend
it is anyway in order to have motivation to do something that
will be good in so many more ways than just saving our lives.

So how are we trying to promote energy conservation here in
this country? Well with the rising oil prices we are looking to
alternate fuel and energy sources. Some cool possibilities in
the near future are the hydrogen cell with a nearly endless
supply and it’s only emission being water. Another renewable
energy source is ethanol which will create a clean relatively
cheap in costs (more than just money), and a major boon to the
struggling farming industry. We are seeing great advances in
electric/gas hybrid and completely electric automobile engines
as well as alternate power sources like hydroelectric and wind
turbine electricity production. All very exciting making this a
great time to be alive.


About The Author: Being a technology junkie, Julee Mitchelsin
loves when she gets assignments like this to research and write
about technology in energy conservation. If you are a tech
junkie too you should check out
http://www.energyconservationtimes.info/.

Posted by forestwonderer at 9:34 AM EDT

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The Wind Farm Debate   by davinos greeno

According to the Energy Saving Trust, the UK has 40% of Europe's total wind energy. But it's still largely untapped and only 0.5% the UKs electricity requirements are currently generated by wind power.

Wind power is proportional to the cube of the wind's speed, so relatively minor increases in speed result in large changes in potential output. Individual turbines vary in size and power output from a few hundred watts to two or three megawatts (as a guide, a typical domestic system would be 2.5 - 6 kilowatts, depending on the location and size of the home).

Uses range from very small turbines supplying energy for battery charging systems (e.g. on boats or in homes), to turbines grouped on wind farms supplying electricity to the grid.

In Saddleworth, near Greater Manchester, an eco-war about wind turbines is waging. United Utilities want to build seven 350 foot wind turbines.

These will generate enough power to supply the average electricity needs of 8,500 homes in the local area. This wind farm is not situated out to sea but in the picturesque hills of the Saddleworth Moors and would be visible for miles around. Government targets state that 10% of the UK's energy should be supplied by renewable resources by 2010 and developments like the Saddleworth Moor turbines would contribute towards that total. Leading environmentalists from across the country have previously convened in Saddleworth for the first ever National Forum opposing the creation of wind farms on rural beauty spots.

World renowned TV botanist, Professor David Bellamy, joined former Downing Street press secretary, Sir Bernard Ingham and hundreds of activists at the National Wind Farm Group Conference. There were a total of representatives from over 50 environmental groups from across the country attending this event. It aimed to raise awareness about the perceived dangers of wind farms and bring environmental groups closer together in their fight against the government. The Saddleworth Moors Action Group says the turbines would have a negative impact on a unique landscape. The group also insist their campaign is not prompted by "not in my backyard" sentiments, but through a genuine desire to preserve the character of the local area.

One could argue that the government is not bothered about the environment then they are continually financing the construction of coal fired power stations in the third world and building more airports and more motorways in Britain? As tensions are mounting in Iran and Nigeria leading to increased oil prices, is now not the ideal time to exploit wind power both on land and at sea via grants to companies? With labour slipping up at the local elections in 05/06 and the Conservatives pushing the eco argument, is not in Labours interest to follow the Conservatives lead and not to pay lip service to wind farms as they currently do?

OR

Will the people that have to live near wind farms and see the things every day change their minds and believe that wind farms form a concerted effort to save the environment or just another commercial money making scheme for the companies involved?

See renewable energy companies in GuideMeGreen's green directory

About the Author

The author works with the Green directory GuideMeGreen.com .This growing green directory lists 100s of Organic Food and Drink Companies and Food and Drink Jobs and campaigning Videos

[wind farms] [environment] [energy]

Other Articles:

Hiking Trails in the Yellowstone Park

Five Reasons to Eat Organic Foods

Posted by forestwonderer at 10:21 AM EDT

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The world's environment and in particular global warming and the environment have been the top issues for Prince Albert of Monaco, and while he is preparing to mark the first year of his succession to the Principality of Monaco, a local destination guide suggests that the second smallest country in the world is in safe hands and can look forward to years of progressive economic and social policies that extend well beyond the borders of Monaco.

'Prince Albert has changed his playboy image', they say, 'since coming to power he has taken the initiative on environmental issues, for example in April he went to the North Pole to draw attention to his fellow world leaders that the environment should be top of their agenda, and he has made a concerted effort to put the environment on the map of Monaco issues that need addressing'.

The environment seems to be of particular concern to Prince Albert, and with this in mind the 2006 Monaco Yacht Show was carbon neutral. The organisers will be paying for a variety of green projects in Europe and further afield, including enough wind turbines in New Zealand to generate power for 50,000 homes.

In two further steps earlier this year to increase Monaco's influence in world affairs and to promote Prince Albert's concern for the environment, the Monaco government announced that it would calculate GDP for the first time, enabling Monaco to meet the UN's target of 0.7 per cent for developing countries, and Prince Albert himself founded a new foundation as 'part of his personal commitment for the protection of the environment and for sustainable development'.

Prince Albert's father, Prince Rainier who ruled Monaco for fifty years was known as the 'builder prince', as Monaco grew out of all recognition while he was in power, transforming the principality from a European backwater to Europe's top tax haven and home to many of Europe's top businessmen and sports stars.

Prince Albert has continued his father's tradition, with plans recently announced for an island to be built off Monte Carlo which will increase the size of the world's second smallest country. But bidders have been asked to plan the project with the environment in mind, as well as the Monaco Grand Prix. The possibilty exists that the Grand Prix circuit will be changed to encompass the new island - and with it more opportunities for overtaking.

Monte Carlo

Tradition and modernity have long been features of Monaco, and as well as a first class infrastructure, the Principality can boast one of the world's top hotels in the Hotel de Paris.

Along with the banking and finance sectors that help Monaco's economy to be one of Europe's most successful, tourism also plays a major part, with many visitors making day trips from neighbouring France and Italy.

'The Monaco Grand Prix plays a part of course', comment the guide, 'but many tourists want to see what it is really like to be in Monte Carlo, the millionaire's playground. Monaco hotels enjoy high occupation levels despite the day trippers though, as so many business people are in Monaco for two or three days'.

Property prices in Monaco are among the highest in the world, with one bedroom apartments after closing costs starting at around a million Euros.

It's thought unlikely that the new island to be built off Monaco will reduce prices much overall despite the increase in the number of property units available as Monaco property is always in demand.

A local real estate company believe that most new apartments will be sold to investors off plan well in advance of any building work starting.

'The problem with property in Monaco is not the lack of buyers', they say, 'but more the lack of good properties for buyers to choose from. Hopefully the new island will address that. Everyone in Monaco is aware of how important the environment is thanks to Prince Albert's initiatives in pushing it up the political agenda, and any new developments will be low rise. With the good weather in Monaco expect to see plenty of solar panels on the roofs to make the buildings energy efficient'.

During his first year Prince Albert has successfully made the people of Monaco aware of global warming and taken steps to combat it, and for his second year and beyond he is likely to be campaigning just as hard at home and abroad on the issue he believes in so much.

About the Author

YourMonaco is an on-line guide for Monaco and Monte Carlo at http://www.yourmonaco.com/ , Tribune properties offer to send current Monte Carlo real estate at http://www.monacoproperty.net/

As well as hotels and travel details the guide includes a seven day forecast for the weather in Monte Carlo and hotels in Monte Carlo

Posted by forestwonderer at 10:05 AM EDT

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A properly maintained car saves on gas usage. This in return helps saves the environment with less usage of fossil fuels and less carbon emissions.

12 Tips Towards Saving Money on GAS!   by Deborah Mumm

Here are 12 tips for how to stretch a tank of gas.

* You can easily take care of a few items without going to a service station. One of them is the air filter. A clogged air filter leaves your engine gasping for breath and means you're probably running with a "rich" mixture, that is, more gas and less air. Many department and auto stores carry air filters, and they are simple to change. A clogged air filter can cost you 1 mpg. Replace your air filter regularly.

* Dirty oil cuts back engine efficiency, so make sure your oil is changed according tot he car manufacturer's recommended schedule. You can change your own, and buying your own oil is much cheaper. There's a drain plug under your engine that will come out readily with a wrench. Have a bucket ready to catch the dirty oil, and remember to dispose of it safely.

* If your fan belt is too tight, your engine is working too hard and wasting gas. The belt should give a little to finger pressure when the engine is not running. if it doesn't, you can easily adjust the tension with a wrench.

* Badly worn spark plugs can cost you as much as 2 mpg. This is probably a job for a trained technician.

* The car has been a way of life for most Americans. There are alternatives. These include mass transit, bike paths, and car pools. * Heavier cars are more costly to run. A reduction of 200 pounds in automotive weight typically improves fuel economy by nearly 5 percent.

* Use the air conditioner in your car as little as possible. It uses a lot of gas. Roll down the windows and get some fresh air! * Using cruise control can save gas. If you drive on the open road often, staying at a constant speed will save fuel. * If you are taking a trip, start early in the day while traffic is light. Plan to stop for meals at times when traffic is heavy.

* Don't let your car idle for a long time to warm it up. Also, don't let your car idle for more than a minute after it is warmed up - idling wastes more gas than restarting your car.

* Do not rev the engine and then quickly shut your car off. This wastes gas. It also pumps raw gasoline into the cylinder walls. This can wash away a film of oil that protects the cylinders and will increase engine wear.

* Check your tires. Your owner's manual has important information on your tires, including the correct air pressure that should be in them. Under-inflation of your tires can cost you as much as 1 mpg. Radial tires have 50 percent less road resistance, so they give you 3 to 19 percent better mpg.

About the Author

Deborah Mumm lives in Grayslake, IL where she has been an Environmental Consultant since 1996. You can get additional tips on environmental issues as well as allergy and asthma prevention at http://www.healthy-environments.com/.

[environment]

Posted by forestwonderer at 1:54 PM EDT

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Ways that you can help protect the environment

It seems that every other day there is a new "Green "initiative to help us "Save the Planet". We are forever being urged to join in and do what we can to help, but What can we do? Will it really make a difference?

It may surprise many of you to know that there are small changes we can make to our everyday lives, which will have a major impact on the environment. If you are really looking to help the environment, you may wish to consider the following simple ideas :-

Switch Off Electrical Appliances when not in use

Switching off, rather than leaving on stand-by, such everyday appliances as your TV and Computer will save enormous amounts of energy. By saving the energy, we can all help to reduce carbon emission into the earth's atmosphere, thereby reducing pollution and global warming.

Car Sharing

Rather than travel to work alone, why not arrange a car sharing Scheme with one or more of your friends or colleagues? To give you an example, if you drive one of the fashionable 4x4 cars, you will use more energy in a year than you would leaving your fridge door open for seven years, or your TV on for thirty two years! Imagine the savings if you car shared with 2,3 or even 4 people?

Insulation and Turing Down your Thermostat

These two energy saving ideas go hand in hand, and they will save YOU money. By turning your central heating thermostat down by one degree, this will both reduce both your household emissions, and save you £30 a year in energy costs.

If you also update your roof and wall cavity insulation, as well as eliminating annoying draughts around your doors and windows, you will retain more of the heat in your home, and again reduce emission. A win win situation, I think you will agree?

Recycling

Recycling is perhaps the easiest way to help in the fight to save the environment. You can recycle many every day materials including glass, paper, plastics, cans and much much more. Not only does recycling save on energy emissions, the recycling of paper will literally save millions of trees a year, which are the earth's main source of absorbing some of the harmful emissions in the atmosphere. Not to mention, the chance of saving areas like the Amazon Rain Forests, which contain some of the rarest of animals, many of which are near extinction due to the actions of man.

Junk Mail

While we all complain about the increase in Junk Mail, we very rarely do anything about it and the mail continues to flow through our letter boxes, straight into the bin - with 99% not even opened.

What can you do about this? There are various websites around the world (UK residents check out www.mpsonline.org.uk/mpsr/ for further details) where you can register to receive NO JUNK MAIL. As well as saving your time, your will also be doing a massive amount to help the environment, e.g. every person in the US receives junk mail which is equivalent to one and a half trees a year!! Throughout the US as a whole, this equates to more than 100 million trees a year.

Note:  (United States) You can use the Unsolicited Mail website to get off the junk mail list.  It only will cost you a $1.00.  This is a governmental office site.

There are many many other everyday changes which you can make to help the environment, they will cost you nothing and many will actually save you money! Why not give it a try? Turn your thermostat down by one degree and see if you notice the difference. We can all help, if we really want to.

© 2006 - J. Joyce www.theenvironmentroom.com

About the Author

James Joyce is currently the webmaster of an environment forum, discussing all aspects of the environment (http://www.theenvironmentroom.com/).

Posted by forestwonderer at 10:18 AM EDT

Updated: Friday, 20 October 2006 10:43 AM EDT

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Author: Madison Lockwood

One of the best things about the Internet is that it brings the
entire world closer together. When your job is environmental
causes and spreading awareness about green living, you know
just how important the Web can be to disseminate information.
This is why no green or environmental awareness campaign should
be without a website.

Getting Information Out

People need all the information necessary to make an informed
decision. Because the media and advertising offers only one
side of the story - the sensationalist version and the version
that sells - it's up to you to give the public the rest of the
story. It's not easy to combat information campaigns backed by
big money. But with a Web site, you have maximum exposure for
minimal cost. An article written on a pamphlet will only be
read by a few. That same article posted on your Web site will
be read by thousands. Those who want the information will be
able to find it.

They say that pictures communicate a thousand words and in the
green world that is true a thousand times over. Sometimes
people need to see the devastation and damage alongside the
statistics in order to understand what's happening, who it's
affecting, and where.

Bringing Information In

Staying on top of developments out in the world, depending on
how wide the scope of your campaign, is a crucial component of
providing information. You need to have the most up-to-date
information in order to remain on the cutting edge of
developments in the movement.

With a Web site, there are a variety of ways to allow people to
contact you and report updates and news in their area. A blog is
the most popular forum, with different sections dedicated to
different aspects of the cause or perhaps different states,
cities, counties, or regions. Allowing visitors to your site to
post what is happening around them is a great way to allow
communities to be an active part of their local campaign. In
fact, the Web is home to the newest incarnation of journalism:
on-the-street eye witnesses reporting the news at a grassroots
level in real time. Perfect for the green campaign!

Organizing the Masses

Another way that your Web site can contribute to the growth of
your campaign is to assist you in organizing your greatest
resource: people. Volunteers can sign up to man booths at fairs
and concerts in their area or to head letter writing campaigns
or to get local businesses involved.

You can have a form online for them to fill out with their
information so that you can organize regional lists and find
out their strengths, schedules, and specific interest in the
campaign so that you can better utilize their skills.

Presenting Your Case

Finally, once you've organized the information in such a way as
to educate those who are already interested in the subject can
get informed, your focus should then turn to those you have to
convince - the legislators.

With links to incredibly detailed maps on Google Earth,
researched and recent statistics, personal testimonies of
voters, petitions, graphics, and more, your Web site will not
only increase the visibility of your campaign but inform the
people who can help change the laws.


About The Author: Madison Lockwood is a customer relations
associate for http://www.apollohosting.com/. She helps clients
understand how a website may benefit them both personally and
professionally. Apollo Hosting provides website hosting,
ecommerce hosting, & VPS hosting to a wide range of customers.

[environment] [earth]

Posted by forestwonderer at 2:23 PM EDT

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North Korea – Yes, You Have Our Attention
Author: Richard Stoyeck

North Korea has tested a low yield nuclear device with 4% of
the destructive power of the bomb that the United States
dropped on Hiroshima, Japan at the end of World War II.

Some believe that the device was much larger but may have
failed for technical reasons.

We don’t know the truth, because the United States has not
devoted the resources to know what is really going on. If you
are surprised, don’t be. Intelligence collection is a tricky
business.

When Richard Nixon was President, you may remember that one of
our ships, the USS Pueblo was brazenly attacked and hijacked in
international waters in 1968, off the coast of North Korea. The
82 member crew was taken prisoner and tortured over an 11 month
period before their release was negotiated.

There is such a thing as institutional memory. The senior
members of the military remember the Pueblo incident well, and
it still influences our behavior towards North Korea. As an
aside, President Nixon gave the order to attack North Korea in
retribution for the Pueblo incident. At the time the President
believed a show of force was absolutely necessary to dissuade
the Koreans from further provocative acts. Nixon’s Secretary of
Defense at the time did not carry out the Presidential
directive. To the end of his life, Nixon felt the biggest
foreign policy error of his administration was the failure to
carry out a retaliatory raid against North Korea for the Pueblo
capture. The Pueblo incident has emboldened the North Koreans
ever since.

Both the Clinton and Bush Administrations were aware of the
Pueblo incident and its aftermath, when attempting to configure
a new US policy towards North Korea’s nuclear program. We have
37,000 American soldiers stationed in South Korea protecting
our alliance and interests with South Korea. There is a phased
troop withdrawal from the South Korea Peninsula taking place.

You have to wonder why we are willing to withdraw troops from
South Korea during a time when they wish to pursue a nuclear
development process. The answer is that this area of the world
is loaded with dynamite, and if it blows up, you don’t want to
have 37,000 American troops sitting in the middle of it. North
Korea has one of the largest stockpiles of artillery weapons of
any army in the world. They are capable of striking Seoul, South
Korea’s capital from across the border.

It was recently reported that Prince Bandar, the Saudi Arabian
Ambassador to the United States had a private conversation with
President Bush. In the conversation the Prince told the
President that the United States should withdraw US troops from
South Korea. Bandar felt it was too dangerous to leave our
soldiers in the middle of a possible confrontation where our
OPTIONS would be limited. As Bandar put it, without troops on
the border, if there’s problem, it’s a REGIONAL PROBLEM. With
troops, you could have thousands of American lives at risk, and
it becomes a major WAR instantly.

So what do we do about the North Koreans announcing the ACTUAL
testing of a nuclear weapon? We have to realize that words have
power. We have to be careful what we say. President Bush
announced the “axis of evil” speech several years ago. He named
North Korea and Iraq as two of the three countries. It would
seem that he started his anti-terrorism campaign in the wrong
end of the world.

Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction (WMD), while
North Korea has gone live with them. Now we are in a bind. Our
defense policy has been altered whereby we can only fight one
war in one country at a time, while fighting a holding action
in a second country. Prior to the Bush Administration holding
power, we were postured to fight two simultaneous wars on two
fronts.

The bad guys know our new policy and will take advantage of us
being pinned down in Iraq to expand their own power bases.
Since we have a fear of losing pilots or better yet, having a
pilot shot down, we are not doing the reconnaissance flights
that we would normally do over North Korea.

The best thing to do right now is to realize that if North
Korea is a problem for the United States, it is a much bigger
problem for Japan, China, Philippines, and South Korea. This is
a regional problem in spite of our alliances, and treaty
involvements. Its one thing to build and detonate a nuclear
weapon, it’s quite another to have a long range missile
delivery system. North Korea could fairly easily develop a
delivery system capable of hitting the countries in its
immediate vicinity.

Hitting the United States from a 9,000 mile plus distance is
another story, not so easy really. Since the countries
bordering North Korea have the most to lose, they should be the
ones bearing the brunt of the responsibility for multi-lateral
talks among the powers involved.

The real deal is that North Korea is a dictatorship that
routinely starves its own people for the benefit of the small
leadership that has basically enslaved the country. This
leadership wants to play the cards that it can. What it now has
is nuclear weapons. They will use this card to maximize whatever
concessions they can from the United States and the immediate
surrounding neighbors.

Are we going to cave, and make concessions to the North
Koreans? Of course we are, because that’s what superpowers do.
It’s not about appeasement, it’s about business, and what makes
good business sense. Churchill said that “People have friends,
nations have interests”.

It is in our interest to not divert ourselves from the issue of
extricating ourselves from a tortuous situation in Iraq. It is
costing us treasure, and beginning to eat at the social fabric
our country as Viet Nam did a generation ago. We must put a
good face on Iraq and get out. The President may not be aware
of it, but he is on a short leash in Iraq. The American people
are very intolerant of wars without objectives that last too
long, and that’s precisely where George Bush finds himself. It
is highly questionable that his party will survive the mid-term
elections intact. The country will embrace CHANGE, even from a
Democratic party that is devoid of ideas.


About The Author: Richard Stoyeck’s background includes being a
limited partner at Bear Stearns, Senior VP at Lehman Brothers,
Kuhn Loeb, Arthur Andersen, and KPMG. Educated at Pace
University, NYU, and Harvard University, today he runs
Rockefeller Capital Partners and http://stocksatbottom.com/
http://www.stocksatbottom.com/

[north korea] [bush]

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Posted by forestwonderer at 10:00 AM EDT

Updated: Wednesday, 18 October 2006 2:36 PM EDT

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Can you imagine a car that uses no gas, has water as its only waste product, and runs on the most abundant element in the universe?

The hydrogen car is almost within our grasp. With a little more research and a lot more public interest, you could soon ditch your hybrid and drive your hydrogen right off the lot.

Ditch your hybrid? Hey, hybrids, are great. Leonardo DiCaprio bought one. So did Cameron Diaz. With an electric motor, hybrids are a perfect start.

The good news: Hybrids, like the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight, have computers that switch the fuel use from gas to electricity depending on which is more efficient at the moment. The bad news: Hybrids still need some gas, which keeps us dependent on oil.

But hybrids do help our environment, and they also serve as a "bridge" between gas cars and hydrogen cars. They wean us off our mind-set of what a car should be. Besides, the media has dubbed them "sexy."

The sexiest car of all, though, is the hydrogen. Under the hood, you will find a hydrogen fuel cell. Unlike a battery, which eventually dies, the fuel cell creates an efficient, continual flow of electricity by converting hydrogen and oxygen into water, producing electricity in the process. It is this electricity that will run your car.

What is hydrogen? It's a colorless, odorless element. It's lightweight, and -- what makes it a good fuel -- highly flammable. We know hydrogen very well - combined with oxygen (H20), it makes water.

Where does the external power come from? Canadian SHEC Labs (Solar Hydrogen Energy Corporation) is working on using solar energy to create hydrogen from methane - which is easily available from landfills.

A bonus here is that the methane not only helps create fuel, but using it in this way, according to SHEC, also helps lessen greenhouse gas emissions from these landfill sites. Greenhouse gas is a leading cause of global warming.

BMW, Honda, Suzuki, GM, and other big companies are also on the H-Car cutting edge. Hydrogen will be dispensed to consumers from automated filling stations. Converters will be made available for existing cars.

So why is your H-car not on the showroom floor right now? First, those filling stations aren't there yet - and neither are the other infrastructures, such as storage and transfer facilities.

And although gas is combustible, hydrogen is even more so, meaning that safeguards must be put in place so we can transport and pump in relative safety.

Experts are saying our H-cars won't be available for another ten years. That's an awfully long time to wait for such a critical source of fuel.

Our current habits are ravaging the earth, causing wars, and accelerating global warming. People, we have no place else to live. Pillaging the planet and making it uninhabitable is not an option. If we don't care for ourselves, we must care for our children and grandchildren.

The truth is, there's simply no alternative to the hydrogen car.

What can each of us do, to get these cars into our driveways before the planet is raked and devastated?

Get the T-shirt! Get the word out. Educate your congress people. Talk about it at dinner. Bring it up at town council meetings. Write letters to editors. Get the bumper sticker. Start a blog. Call your car dealerships, so they can get the word back to the manufacturers.

It isn't true that we are powerless. But it will take more than just a few people to get anything moving. We all have to care about the earth and the legacy we will leave for our children.

(c)2006

About the Author

Suzann Kale is a freelance author and technical writer specializing in science, lifestyles, and the arts.

[environment]

[hybrid]

Posted by forestwonderer at 9:19 AM EDT

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by Tracey Wilson

"Our oceans are in trouble, the coasts are in trouble; our marine resources are in trouble. These are not challenges we can sweep aside."

-Commission Chairman James Watkins

In all of our world's bodies of water, we are seeing trouble develop at a fanatical rate. Wetlands, coral reefs, shellfish beds, etc . . . are dying. We only have ourselves to blame.

40,000 acres of coastal wetlands providing essential spawning, filtering out pollutants, feeding and nursery areas for ¾ of U.S commercial fish catches are disappearing each year, says the new U.S. Commission of Ocean Policy, now halfway through an eighteen month study.

Our coastal development, dumping of waste, careless fishing habits, and especially global warming, (Which is mainly caused by human actions), are all reasons our marine life and ecosystem is in critical condition.

Coral reefs are being found in bleached white states, more and more. A sure sign that the 'rain forests of the oceans' are in serious trouble. Not only are thousands upon thousands of marine life dependent on coral reefs for their survival, coral reefs also buffer coasts against beach erosion from storm damage.

Pollutants that end up dumped into our oceans; like the twelve billion tons of ballast water from ships, that are spreading invasive alien species to new locales around the world. It also chokes off oxygen and fosters algae blooms, causing important habitats, like kelp beds and seagrass meadows to die off.

"The oceans are an interconnected web of animals, plants, and people living across a complex geography." Muller-Karger explains. "A change in one area sends a ripple effect that affects everything else in the system. One serious problem, says Muller-Karger, is that we have upwards of fourteen Federal agencies charged with ocean issues. These agencies are, in turn, overseen by more than sixty congressional committees and subcommittees There is too much duplication, too little coordination and too little funding," he charges.

Only a tiny fraction of our oceans vastness has been explored and studied. We know more about the surface of the moon. Our oceans contains potential advances in health care and medicines. Two antiviral drugs and a cancer drug has already been found in seasponges. Imagine the other possible cures that are waiting to be found.

Many of our conservation laws to protect our water systems are not properly enforced. Likewise, policies regulating pollution in coastal waters are not always carried out, as well. It is imperative that we get serious in protecting our marine life and water ways. In doing so, we will be saving ourselves, as well as the life of our planet.

About the Author

Tracey Criswell Wilson is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Poetry. Most of Tracey's writings can be found at http://www.writing.com/authors/intuey

[environment]

[ecosystem]

Posted by forestwonderer at 9:51 AM EDT

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