A hot issue in our society continues to be global warming. Both presidential candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain, have taken strong positions concerning the effect of greenhouse gases on the planet. People know intellectually that this destructive process is happening, but what are we really doing to change the way we live? How are we confronting the problem in our daily lives? One way to contribute is to begin driving a hybrid car, rather than just sticking to the new and used cars and trucks that solely burn gasoline to run.

Is global warming really causing such a problem that I need to buy a new car? Actually, yes. If the amount of harmful emissions continues to rise at the rate that they do now, the melting of the polar ice caps and increased severity of weather conditions could be a result. We've already seen some incredible damage done by hurricanes during the last few years; it's hard to imagine that weather destruction could get worse. It is a very real possibility though. An easy way to prevent this problem is to reduce the amount of gasoline you're burning. Yes, you personally! You may not be able to change jobs to work closer to your home, but you can drive a car that functions in a more environment-friendly manner.

Not everyone has access to public transportation to be earth-friendly

Public transportation is always an option for those living in cities like Pittsburgh, helping to reduce the amount of carbon emissions ever year. However, these convenient systems of transportation are not always available to those living outside of a city. The suburbs may not have a high enough population density to justify establishing a public transportation system. This means that it is a personal decision to change your everyday driving habits and thereby reduce your gasoline usage. An earth-friendly change you can make is to purchase a hybrid car, truck, or SUV. They use less gasoline by harnessing electricity to charge the battery. Less gasoline means more savings for the driver. Fuel economy is the goal of every person when gas costs $3.00 or $4.00 a gallon.

Some may argue that the slightly higher cost of a hybrid negates the amount of money you save on gasoline. This is a shallow approach that does nothing to encourage an eco-friendly mindset. Do you opt for a cheap TV because you want to pay less money up front? Do you decide to go with a less expensive lawn mower to save yourself some money? No, bottom line versions of these items break down easily and you end up putting more money into fixing them. The same mindset can be used in regard to hybrid cars. You may pay a little extra in the beginning, but the long-term benefits make the investment worthwhile.

Global warming is created by more than just carbon emissions. The greenhouse effect, where gases are trapped by the earth's atmosphere and cause the earth to increase in temperature, is also caused by nitrous oxide. Methane gas contributes to the greenhouse effect as well. All of these gases are produced by gasoline combustion and add to the problem of global warming. Driving cars is a large contributor to the problem overall, but large factories burning fossil fuels also play a significant role.

Even being stopped while it is still running, a car, truck, or SUV still emits these gases, wasting fuel at the same time. Think of all those times you waited to pick up your child from school and didn't turn the car off as you waited. You flip through the radio stations, you balance your checkbook. You wait 10 minutes or more every time you have to pick your kids up. This quickly adds up over time, but multiply that by all the parents waiting for their children across the country. Just the amount of time and cars is staggering, let alone the emissions that are produced from all the cars that are actually driving. You are still contributing harmful gases to the atmosphere when your car is running while in park.

A hybrid car wastes a lot less energy and produces significantly less of the harmful gases contributing to the deterioration of our ozone layer. The smaller, more compact hybrids are the best option for driving because they use even less gasoline than an SUV. For those of us who want to do our part but just don't have a bus stop nearby, a hybrid car can still make a difference in rectifying the problems we have caused by neglecting our environment.