In this day and age of increased environmental awareness, not even motorsports are granted exclusion from the eco-friendly expectations which all companies and organizations are held to. Of course, it's not just the racing itself that causes carbon emissions, as the fans attending the event need to travel in order to get there. In fact, as you can see from the graph below, when race organizers for the upcoming Wales Rally GB in December did some fact-finding, they found that the race vehicles accounted for just 5-percent of the 4,333 metric tons of overall CO₂ emitted into the atmosphere. In order to make the actual race the first carbon neutral FIA Rally event, organizers have instituted car-pooling for officials and marshals as well as replacing battery-powered flashlights with wind-up alternatives and planning full-scale recycling. The remaining CO₂ will be offset through credits from The CarbonNeutral Company.

The Wales Rally GB is already looking towards the future. The event believes that it can significantly reduce the amount of CO₂ emitted from the event in the coming years, lessening the amount of offsets necessary to remain carbon neutral. After all, it's better not to emit in the first place than to cover it up afterward.

[Source: Wales Rally GB via Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Photo: splorp - Licensed under CC 2.0

Higher gas prices equal fewer miles driven. Fewer miles driven equals fewer traffic fatalities. At least, that's the assumption, 'cause it's really impossible to know for sure what is driving the current death rate decline on American roadways. Still, that above equation sure makes sense, so we're gonna go ahead and conclude for ourselves that it's true. Add that to the fact that many drivers who can't get off the roads have slowed down to counter the high fuel surcharges which accompany a lead foot, and total motor vehicle fatalities are down 9-percent this year.

There have only been two other times in American history where traffic death statistics dropped so drastically in such short order, one of which was when the country endured its last gas price spike during 1973 and 1974. Coincidence? Hardly. One more good effect from higher gas prices is that fewer drunk drivers are on the roads, as more drinkers choose to consume their alcohol at home instead of driving to the bar. See? High gas prices do have their advantages. Thanks for the tip, Alex!

[Source: AP via AT&T]

In preparation for the upcoming Summer Olympic Games scheduled to begin on August 8, the city of Beijing in China has now begun limiting traffic through its busy streets. Due to the heavy smog and polluted air in Beijing, cars will be allowed to drive only on alternating days based on the license plate of the vehicle. This means that only half of the 3.3 million vehicles currently registered in the city will be allowed to drive each day, theoretically cutting emissions in half.

In addition to the automobile traffic measures, the city has begun limiting manufacturing plants to 70-percent of the emissions they had previously been allowed. These new programs are in addition to the ban on heavy trucks in the city which took place starting on July 1. To offset the problems that inhabitants would likely have with their daily transportation needs, the city has beefed up its public transportation systems by adding additional buses and subway routes. What effect, if any, these measures will have on air quality will be seen come August.

[Source: CNN]

Click above for more high-res shots of the 2007 Toyota Prius Touring

There is more than just the high price for a gallon of gasoline which is weighing heavily on the nation's economy. The housing slump has been hitting hard as well, with many homes sitting unsold for much longer periods and selling for significantly less money than just a few years back. So, considering these two markets are both undergoing similar pains, why not combine the two and offer a fuel-sipper with the purchase of a high-priced home? That is what two Maryland women have decided to do by offering to give away a Toyota Prius with their $595,000 three-bedroom colonial built 1907 and located in Easton, Maryland. The mother and daughter duo had planned to sell the home after making various improvements, as they have done in the past. Now that it is complete, though, it is sitting on the market.

"We're losing money on the house, and the Prius only adds to losing money, but we also realize it's time we really got to sell the house," says Catherine Poe, the owner. She says she would be willing to keep the Prius and reduce the house accordingly, but hopes to get more attention with the car. Considering that we've found the story interesting enough to post, we'd imagine her strategy has proved successful.


[Source: CNN via GM Inside News]

It's taken one month for Dr. Bernard "Buddy" Rosenbaum, 71, and Bob Chase,72, to ride two Piaggio MP3 scooters from San Francisco to New York City along the Lincoln Highway. When the duo finally arrived in Times Square, they were greeted by media, friends, family and Piaggio representatives, including its U.S. Operations president, Paolo Timoni. The event not only showed that there are no age boundaries, but also that summer road trips can still be taken even during these days of $4+/gal.

[Source: No Age Limit]

Click above for more images of the iPhone 3G's GPS capabilities

Alright, so perhaps that iPhone 3G's GPS system leaves a little to be desired for the hardcore automotive crowd, but that doesn't mean that your brand new purchase can't prove useful to you for more than its normal mobile phone abilities. Since you're reading this article here on AutoblogGreen, we are going to go ahead and assume that you are interested in saving gas, either for the planet's sake or at least for the sake of your wallet. Take a look at these five programs which were designed to help owners of a brand spankin' new iPhone save a few bucks on gas. From fuel mileage tracking to finding the best gas prices in your area, developers have jumped on the ability to develop new applications for die-hard Apple users like nobody's business. Best of all... they range in price from free to just shy of $2 bucks.

[Source: Earth2Tech]

The debate over global warming is something that's a bit tough to wrap ones head around. There are a lot of facts, and even more opinions on the subject. While there is a general scientific consensus that the earth is warming, the reasons and the role humans play in it is the subject of near endless debate. If you think global warming is tough to understand, try to imagine what a movie that blends documentary, mockumentary and reality TV styles would be like. Now imagine that this film tries to explain global warming and you might get what Sizzle, premiering July 19 at the Outfest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, is all about.

The film follows the quest of Randy Olson - Dr. Randy Olson - to make the film (yes, it's meta from the get-go). At first, it's a little confusing when the documentary style blends into obvious set-up jokes (i.e., we see shots of something happening that simply would not be possible with only one camera), but the blending effect of actually grew on me as the film progressed.

I'll get into some details - and you can watch the trailer - after the break.

[Source: Sizzle]

For the seventeenth consecutive year, this Wednesday will mark the annual Ride to Work Day. The event, which falls every year on the third Wednesday of July, is intended to promote fuel savings and the reduced traffic which comes as a result of motorcycle and scooter riding. This, of course, is an event we can get behind. As motorcycle and scooter sales worldwide increase due to fuel prices which have likely not yet hit their apogee, more and more ex-drivers are ditching their automobiles in an effort to save big money on their fuel bills. Still, it is currently estimated that just over 1-percent of these riders choose to commute to work on their two-wheelers.

Benefits to ridin' to work are many, including the aforementioned fuel savings and lower traffic, less damage to roadways, quicker commutes in places where lane-sharing is permissible and the fact that riding is fun. Don't think that riding to work makes a big difference? If every day were Ride to Work Day, fifteen-million gallons of fuel, and the associated CO₂ emissions, could be saved per year. That, friends, is a big number although it is probably a conservative estimate given that American drivers consumed 9.3 million gallons of gasoline per day in 2007.

[Source: Ride to Work Day]

Nobody likes to be labeled, unless they truly embody everything that a specific group stands for. For instance, many people who try and live their lives in an eco-friendly manner would not label themselves as "tree huggers", but for some, the label fits perfectly and they have no problem with it at all. Car guys, though, generally readily admit to their fascination with all things automotive. Perhaps it's because being a "car guy" doesn't often carry along a negative stigma. Regardless, an interesting debate has sprung up on the Karl on Cars blog, where Karl Brauer, Editor in Chief of Edmunds.com, happily accepts the "car guy" label while rejecting the "environmentalist" tag, despite his admitted provocation to conserve resources whenever possible, including with the automobile.

The debate of whether or not someone could be both an environmentalist and a car guy is an interesting one. Perhaps one could claim to be a "green car guy" in lieu of actually being labeled as a tree-hugging environmentalist. Splitting hairs? Maybe, but it might make sense to have a category for those who want to drive clean for reasons other than saving the planet.

[Source: Karl on Cars]

Well, the only Toyota Camrys on which you'll see Barack Obama's name are those driven by civilians, like the one pictured above. The Obama campaign had been offered a sponsorship opportunity on the #49 BAM Racing Sprint Cup car, driven by Ken Schrader, at the August 3rd race at Pocono. It's not at all uncommon for Presidential candidates to try and woo NASCAR voters, but perhaps it's best that the Democratic candidate has decided to turn down this offer. After all, it seems that sponsorship of a NASCAR ride might have been awkward, as stock car racing could be seen as being antithetical to any green automotive policies that Obama might support. Obamaniacs interested in seeing their candidate's name on a vehicle can go get themselves bumper stickers, since it won't be hurtling down a speedway anytime soon.

[Source: AP via Yahoo! News | Photo: lizardking]

"We have to build cars and trucks that people want to buy." So said Rick Wagoner, head of General Motors, at a recent conference in Dallas, Texas in response to why GM didn't begin offering hybrid cars earlier. Yeah, Rick, that's entirely true. But, your company also has to have at least a modicum of foresight in order to be successful in the tough American market these days. For instance, Toyota is just now reaping the benefits of its hybrid electric vehicles, despite the fact that the automaker has been building them since 1997. Did Toyota know something that GM didn't? Not really, as the entire world has been watching oil prices climb for the last few decades. It was bound to happen in the United States -- GM's own backyard -- as well, and now that it has indeed taken place, the three remaining American automakers have been caught with the wrong product at the wrong time sitting on dealer lots.

[Source: MSN Money Central]

Way back in April of last year, or own Sam Abuelsamid suggested that the Bush Administration would surely leave any EPA regulations on greenhouse gas emissions to the next President, whomever that may be. It seems that he was right in that assessment, as the EPA is expected to announce later today that it will hold off on creating any specific emissions regulations for the time being. The EPA was told by the Supreme Court in 2007 that it had to either justify its inaction regarding greenhouse gas emissions or come up with new regs. Before this ruling, the government had chosen to remain silent on the issue, instead focusing solely on fuel economy regulations.

The decision to wait on regulating emissions will likely give automakers a bit of time to ready themselves for the rules when they do, in fact, go into effect. We would imagine that the eighteen states, along with other entities such as the City of New York and the Mayor of Baltimore, that are suing the EPA in an attempt to force regulations will be less than pleased with this continued inaction.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Click on the image above for more shots of the 2008 Ford Focus

There sure are lots of automobile choices out there vying for your hard earned dollars. Cars come in all shapes and sizes, and finding the perfect one can be a daunting task for those who are not very well versed in the market. Today, as gas prices continue to climb, choosing the right-sized car for your needs is increasingly important to the pocketbook. A recently-widowed woman who needs to downsize from her current Ford F-150 truck sent a letter to Tom and Ray Magliozzi, better known as Click and Clack, wondering what new vehicle would best suit her needs. The real question: How much power is enough?

Simply put: drive all your options before making a decision. Be sure to consider how many miles will be driven on the highway as opposed to the city and how many people you will regularly be taking with you. For those who drive predominately in the city and alone, the smallest available engine is most likely going to work out just fine, which, incidently, is true for the majority of the population of the United States. Now, need and want are two completely different questions...


[Source: The Detroit News]

Click on the image above to enlarge

Trek Bicycle Corporation, makers of machines under their own name along with the Gary Fischer and Klein brands, has just put up its first "Trek Stop", a vending machine for basic bike parts. The outpost includes everything necessary to fix a flat tire with patch kits, spare tubes and an air pump. Also included are items for the rider, such as water bottles and energy bars. The kiosk sits outside a local bike shop called Machinery Row Bicycles deep in Badger territory -- Madison, Wisconsin. This location makes sense, considering it's one of the larger major cities located near Trek's headquarters in Waterloo and is a major college town where bicycle commuting is sure to be hot.

We think that bike-part vending machines such as this would prove very popular near major bike routes and trail heads. Hopefully, the nearest local bike shop is involved and gets to share in some of the sales and service.

[Source: Bicycle Design via Treehugger]

I feel really honored to be able to participate in the AutoblogGreen community, especially when I'm able to get people talking about a political issue (like yesterday, with the "blame a liberal" post) and I want to thank those of you who contributed excellent comments to that post.

Today, I just want to point out a fun post over at Crooks And Liars that shows how two political candidates in Virginia promoted their causes during a Fourth of July parade in Scottsville. The Democrat, somone named Tom Perrielo, rode on a biodiesel-fueled tractor. The Republican, incumbent Virgil Goode, rode through in an enclosed Hummer, according to C&L (see a video after the jump). I'm sure a few of you have a comment or two to leave about this, no?

In any case, I'm about to take a few weeks off and spend some time in Europe. I'll be around a bit tomorrow and the rest of the AutoblogGreen team will keep things humming once I'm out the door, so keep on enjoying the site. Thanks.

[Source: Crooks And Liars]