Daily Nebraskan

Issue date: 1/30/08 Section: Features

In a world where concern for the environment is growing exponentially with things that harm the environment, it can sometimes feel like there is little action that can be taken by the individual.

But small steps can be taken in working to help the environment, especially in the choices we make while driving.

Hybrid cars are a simple, painless way for people to take action toward a healthier environment. According to green-living Web site Care2.com, these vehicles can reduce smog by 90 percent by running off of a combination of gasoline and a rechargeable battery, as opposed to gasoline alone.

This decrease in fuel emissions is because of the engine's use of the battery, instead of gasoline, when accelerating. Hybrid motors can be shut off when the car is stopped and the other functions of the car, such as radio, heating and cooling and GPS programs, run solely on electricity.

Ashley Johnson, a nursing student at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, owns a 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid. She and her husband needed a new car, and wanted one that got good gas mileage.

"It was a bonus that we were able to find an affordable hybrid and be nice to the environment in the process of our car-buying venture," she said.

One of the benefits they enjoy, she said, is not having to spend a ton on gas. There are other perks, too, that a lot of people probably wouldn't predict.

"We do occasionally get questions on how it works," she said, "and comments from people that think it is cool."

In an effort to raise awareness of the benefits of hybrid cars, programs that offer benefits to hybrid drivers are rapidly increasing on college campuses nationwide. A prime example of this began at San Jose State University, located in San Jose, Calif., in the fall of 2004.

Students and faculty who owned hybrid cars simply applied for a permit, and once they received it, could park in any city or campus parking meter or campus Before the program's birth, the parking service on campus received about one hybrid permit request every two weeks. Since the implementation of the parking-benefit program, they receive an average of one to two requests a day.

Besides saving money on parking permits and change used to plug meters, owners of hybrids also save some serious cash on gas. These extremely economical cars can get up to 55 or 60 miles per gallon, compared with non-hybrid cars such as SUVs that get anywhere from 15-20 miles per gallon. In other words, it would take about three times more gasoline to fuel a non-hybrid car.

Although new hybrid cars cost a few thousand dollars more than their nonhybrid counterparts, with gas prices constantly on the rise, the difference can be made up quite quickly. One way to downsize spending is to shop for a used hybrid, which can cost significantly less than a brand new set of wheels, and are usually in close-to-new shape anyway.

Another financial break that comes along with a hybrid purchase is a one-time federal tax deduction. These tax breaks range from $1,500 to $2,500 and are one way the federal government promotes fuel-efficient vehicles. Batteries in these fuel-efficient cars eventually will need to be changed, but almost all car companies offer a eight- or 10-year warranties, decreasing the risk of an expensive part replacement somewhere down the line.

But even with the list of pros to owning a hybrid vehicle some people are skeptical about the perks of buying one.

"In time, the batteries do wear out," said James Carnes, owner of Lincoln Auto Services Co. "That's the big question mark now. What exactly is the average life of that battery? At some point in time, that battery is going (to die), and it can be very expensive to replace."

He added that because the technology for hybrid cars is still developing it may be difficult to get repairs done if problems arise.

"It's new, and a lot of the repairs aren't released to shops other than the manufacturers," he said.

"If you do have the hybrid and need something fixed, you can't shop around different auto shops for the best price. You're stuck with paying premium at dealership."

Whatever the future of hybrid cars may hold, they are becoming more popular by the year.

"I think hybrid cars are more important," said Alex Galvin, a freshman business major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, "Because they not only ease our dependence on foreign oil supplies but also help reduce pollution levels in the air."

emmapetrie-smith@dailynebraskan.com

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