Thursday, September 07, 2006
Shoot me in the foot and tell me it's raining.
Americans represent less than 5 percent of the world's population so by all rights they should contribute less than 5 percent of the worlds pollution right? Well, not quite.... Americans contribute 9 times more than they "should". 45 percent of the world's emission of carbon dioxide, the main pollutant that causes global warming, is contributed by Americans according to a report by the nonprofit group Environmental Defense.
Americans own 30 percent of the world's vehicles, drive farther each year than the international average and burn more fuel per mile, the report says. Additonally, the sport utility boom of the past decade put vehicles on the road that could be spewing carbon dioxide for years to come.
So what can you do to reduce your impact? Next time you purchase a vehicle, buy a hybrid. Not all hybrids are compromise. While the Toyota Prius has the least impact on the environment, the Honda Accord Hybrid has lots of power while still maintaining a very low air pollution standard.
John Mendel, American Honda senior VP, says, "The Accord Hybrid is unique in that it delivers performance and environmental responsibility without compromising one for the other." The Integrated Motor Assist 3-liter V6 plays its part - putting out 253 hp, 9 hp more than the gasoline-only version.
Americans own 30 percent of the world's vehicles, drive farther each year than the international average and burn more fuel per mile, the report says. Additonally, the sport utility boom of the past decade put vehicles on the road that could be spewing carbon dioxide for years to come.
So what can you do to reduce your impact? Next time you purchase a vehicle, buy a hybrid. Not all hybrids are compromise. While the Toyota Prius has the least impact on the environment, the Honda Accord Hybrid has lots of power while still maintaining a very low air pollution standard.
John Mendel, American Honda senior VP, says, "The Accord Hybrid is unique in that it delivers performance and environmental responsibility without compromising one for the other." The Integrated Motor Assist 3-liter V6 plays its part - putting out 253 hp, 9 hp more than the gasoline-only version.
