The Many Different Shades of Green

Reduce, reuse and recycle – this is the mantra that most of us hear when it comes to adopting the green lifestyle.

Gone are the days when you had a simple choice between buying either a gasoline-fuelled or a diesel car. Now the options are wide and varied thanks to the arrival of several green car concepts including electrics, hybrids, fuel cell cars and biofuels.

Green vehicles and technologies have been in the news and on a lot of people’s minds recently.  However, no one seems to have the same definition of the term.  Is a vehicle green merely because it is small, light, and extremely fuel efficient, or does it need to use alternate fuel sources or have other really ground breaking technologies to qualify.

Different people want different things out of their vehicles, and there are many different shades of green.  That means that automakers can’t please everyone with one design.  They’re going to need to think about the vehicles they’re producing and the demographic they want to target.

For some of us, a higher Kilometer per liter rating on a vehicle is enough to make it qualify as green.  If you’re in this category, a hybrid gasoline-electric vehicle or a car that’s simple small and light.  Some are big fans of the newer diesel cars and trucks, which get higher mileage rating and produce much less in the way of emissions.

An alternative power source based on non petroleum sources include hydrogen, ethanol, electric cars and biodiesel, with some people also considering propane, natural gas, and other non-renewable, non-gasoline vehicles to qualify.

Drivers of this sort are more willing to try new technology out than drivers in the first category, and have a real commitment to green driving.  They’re often willing to spend more and deal with a more limited selection of fuels and vehicles in order to get a car they feel really is green.

Of course, driving isn’t the only way to get green transportation.  If you prefer to park when you can and take the bus instead, or you’re looking at the materials and production impact of the vehicle, you’re part of the group of Canadians who are looking even deeper into the greenness of their transport.  Some manufacturers are using less toxic raw materials, or they’re using recyclable, reusable ones.  This can be a big consideration as to whether or not a vehicle or mode of transport is really green.