Buy a clean car

Your car releases 20 lbs. of carbon dioxide into the air for every gallon of gas it uses.

So there’s no better time to make a huge contribution toward the reduction of global warming pollution than when you’re in the market for a new car. The choice you make will affect your comfort, lifestyle, finances, and planet for years to come.

If you want to reduce your own personal global warming pollution, pick a car that’s highly fuel efficient.  Click Here for ACEEE’s 2009 Greenest in 12 Vehicle Classes Guide.  Click Here for USEPA’s 2009 Green Vehicle Guide.

If you keep your car seven years, you’ll make up for the remaining price difference of $2,510 in gas savings. And if gas continues to go up, you’ll make it up even sooner.

Financial considerations aside, remember that from Day One of ownership, you’ll be reducing global warming pollution by driving a hybrid. In the example above, the Toyota Camry hybrid will release 1.2 tons less carbon dioxide pollution every year.

Cool stuff: what might be coming down the road

The next generation of hybrid likely will be plug-ins that get much higher mileage than today’s models. Google’s foundation, for instance, is working to accelerate adoption of plug-n hybrids by demonstrating their use in its own fleet.