Going On A Low-Car Diet

End our reliance on foreign oil? More than a dozen San Diegans are doing a lot more than just talking about it. They literally gave up their cars for a month by dropping their car keys in a lockbox as part of the first ever San Diego Low-Car Diet. Sponsored by Flexcar, Metropolitan Transit System, Amtrak, Air Pollution Control District, the American Lung Association, and Universal Studios, the participants pledged to use Flexcar and other modes of transportation to get around town for the month of February. Read more . . .

Biodiesel Jeep Very Cool

While the media has followed the success of the Toyota Prius gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle, it has been virtually silent on the success of the Jeep Liberty CRD diesel, which comes pre-filled with a mixture of conventional diesel oil and biodiesel. While sales of the Liberty CRD have been more modest than the Prius (just 10,000 units versus the Prius’s 100,000+) the Liberty’s sales figure has been double DaimlerChrysler’s projections. And it indicates that, against odds, there could be a growing U.S. market for diesel-powered vehicles, especially in light of the potential benefits of biodiesel, which has environmental advantages and can help wean the U.S. off foreign oil. Read more . . .

Toyota’s Gas Guzzling Truck Criticized

Freedom from Oil activists at the New York Auto Show in spring of 2007 unfurled a 20-foot banner inside the front entrance to the Jacob Javits Center, challenging Toyota to become a true environmental leader. The banner parodied Toyota’s current Tundra full-size pickup truck advertising blitz with a picture of the truck driving over a globe with the tagline, “Toyota: The Truck That’s Changing the Climate.” The banner flew at the entrance of the exhibition hall for several minutes before police arrested the two Freedom from Oil climbers who placed it. Read more . . .

Donate Your Car And Save On Taxes

Donating your old vehicle is a great way to give to one of your preferred charities. Your generosity will also result in a special tax deduction provided by the government, but keep in mind there are certain requirements that must be met to get these tax breaks.

Unfortunately, the government’s policies regarding vehicle donations are not as clearly laid out as with other types of contributions to charities. The amount of tax relief you receive depends not only on the value of your donation, but also on the way the charity itself chooses to use or dispose of the vehicle. Read more . . .

Death To The Uninsured?

Should they be banished to the dungeon? Beheaded? Forced to watch re-runs of “Benny Hill?” Maybe those punishments are too cruel, but 63 percent of Britain’s drivers believe that those who drive without insurance should be punished, and they don’t hold out much hope that the offenders will change their evil ways. Only 31 percent of those surveyed believe offenders should be rehabilitated, according to research conducted by leading motor insurer Co-operative Insurance Society Limited (CIS). Read more . . .