General Motors has found a way to convert the oil-soaked plastic boom materials in the Gulf of Mexico into useful products by turning these wastes into plastic under hood auto parts. According to Mike Robinson, GM Vice President of Environment, Energy and Safety Policy, “Creative recycling is one extension of GM’s overall strategy to reduce its environmental impact. We reuse and recycle material by-products at our 76 landfill-free facilities every day. This is good example of using this expertise and applying it to a greater magnitude.”

GM has been able to produce more than 100,000 pounds of plastic resin for vehicle components from recycling the booms. Just imagine if GM did not recycle these wastes, the same quantity would have been thrown to the landfills. To produce the auto parts, GM is combining the oil-soaked plastic boom materials either with used tires or post-consumer recycled plastics and other polymers.

GM is working with several partners in its effort to clean the Mexican Gulf. The Heritage Environmental takes care of the collection of the boom materials which are in turn collected by the Mobile Fluid Recovery that spun clean the booms until dried from all waste water and oil. Then the Lucent Polymers changed the booms into materials with consistency making it suitable for plastic die-mold production. GDC Inc., a Tier-One supplier, with its patented Enduraprene TM material process and combined the resin with other plastic compounds to produce the auto parts.

John Bradburn, Manager of GM’s waste-reduction efforts said, “This was purely a matter of helping out. If the send to a landfill, these materials would have taken hundreds of years to begin to break down, and we didn’t want to see the spill further impact the environment. We knew we could identify a beneficial re-use of this material given our experience.”

GM is committed to reducing waste and pollutants, as a matter of fact, 85% of the materials used for the production of its trucks and other vehicles are made up of recycled materials. And not only that, all GM’s facilities around the globe also recycle 90% of the wastes they generate.

By the way, GM’s Chevy Volt has been awarded as the Green Car of the Year by Green Car Journal. The Volt is the first electric vehicle launched with extended range.

Good news to all Ford fanatics! The 2011 Ford Explorer has finally obtained the 25 percent improvement in fuel economy that it promised. I guess some promises are really worth keeping and not meant to be broken as the old adage say. The 25 percent improvement in fuel economy is not just a mere claim but was confirmed by no less than the Environmental Protection Agency. Basing on the agency’s ratings, the Explorer was able to obtain an average of 17 mpg in the city and an average of 25 miles per gallon on the highway.

The front-drive-base of the 2011 Ford Explorer was made lighter and with more aerodynamic body. And that’s not all! It was also given a more efficient 292 horsepower 3.5-Liter V6 with Ti-VCT or Twin independent Variable Camshaft Timing that is mated to a 6-speed auto transmission and equipped with Blue Oval’s latest electronic power steering system. The 2011 Ford Explorer is scheduled to hit showrooms towards the end of this year.

The Blue Oval is not stopping at 25 percent, they intend to go higher up to 30 percent fuel economy with the production of a turbocharged 2.0-Liter EcoBoost four-cylinder which is due for release next year, 2011.

Let’s face it, Toyota’s Prius despite its being an environmentally friendly vehicle is not that price friendly. With its starting price of $22,800 (Prius II) to $28,070 (Prius V) it’s not a practical choice with the worsening recession. In fact, there was a drop in sales of Prius from 11,731 in October to 10,224 in November, recording a significant 13% decrease in sales. But compared to last year, Prius sales this year was up by 6% making it not a total lost for Toyota’s green car. Hopefully they will be able to surpass the negative impact of the recalls that they had this year if they want to get positive sales growth before the end of this year.

Next Generation Prius

In other news, there are reports saying that the next generation of Priuses of which the Japanese automaker has designated with letters A, B, and C will resemble its current lineup. Prius A will sport the same size as Yaris while B will be made bigger. Prius C will be made smaller than the Camry but in terms of design it will take after the Hybrid X concept car. If you have forgotten what the X looks like, you may search for 2007 Geneva Motor Show - it’s where the X-concept has made its debut.

A new wave of green cars is scheduled to go on sale on the next two succeeding years, 2011 and 2012. This new wave would comprise of eight hybrids and a dozen plug-in cars. Unfortunately, the electric cars would only be sold on selected cities with already setup charging stations. The rollout of the green cars would start from California then to other states including New York, Texas, Washington, Oregon, Arizona and Tennessee. Some of the green cars to watch out for includes: Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid SUV, Lexus CT 200h compact, Volkswagen Touareg SUV hybrid, VW Jetta Hybrid, Coda sedan, Think City, Focus compact electric version, and RAV4 SUV electric version.

To get a head start, General Motors and Nissan will be having an early introduction of their green cars this December with the Chevrolet Volt and Leaf. You might want to check one out in dealers in your area.

Rinspeed from Sweden wanted to bring out a car that looks like it just came from outer space. Well, the guys from that automaker certainly delivered by introducing the Rinspeed Senso. If there’s a car that can interact with its driver, then this is it.

Basically, the Rinspeed Senso has lights on its driver’s field of view that change color depending on your mood. How does this work? If you’re feeling drowsy, the interior becomes filled with light, the stereo emits a certain kind of sound, and the ventilation system releases a unique smell.

The Rinspeed Senso is loaded by different kinds of sensors that measure your pulse. Aside from that, there’s also a camera that monitors your driving behavior. This way, you’re always relaxed and alert when you’re in front of the steering wheel.

When it comes to performance however, the Rinspeed Senso has a lot to show off. Basically, it is powered by a 3.2-liter engine that can generate as much as 250 horsepower. Right now, the Rinspeed Senso is still in the conceptual stage. Then again, its supreme features will really change how we look at our vehicles in the future.

I know green cars get smaller each time. They also become a lot more fuel efficient every year. However, Franco Sbarro of Switzerland had other things in mind when he designed the City Car. Although I’ve seen so many strange-looking cars in my life, the City Car can perhaps top the list.

Basically, the City Car has four wheels, one in front and in the rear, while the others can be found in the sides. For power, the City Car uses an electric motor that can generate as much as 20 kilowatts and it can go as fast as 30 mph. However, the vehicle also relies on an internal combustion engine that is able to give off 60 horsepower while boosting its speed to 80 mph. Overall, this strange-looking vehicle can cover as much as 370 mph and an MPG rating of 46.

The best part about the City Car is its design. With all of its wheels laid out in a diamond pattern, they are able to maneuver in 180-degree angles. That means you can turn 360 degrees in its vertical axis. In short, it gives you so many options as compared to your regular four-wheel vehicle when it comes to maneuverability.

On a different note, the City Car is 11.8-feet long and weighs just around 320 pounds, making Shaq even heavier than this thing. Despite its size though, it can unbelievably carry 5 people and a few extra pounds for your luggage. Equipped with lots of cameras, you won’t have any trouble dealing with the traffic with this kind of street rig. I’m pretty much blown away with its other features such as a cellphone, internet, digital TV, and a glut of communication accessories.

I’ve met so many people who ask me about plug-in hybrid vehicles and why they’re better compared to other vehicles. Of course my usual answers include better fuel efficiency, lower emissions, and energy diversity. Plug-in green cars are technically known as PHEVs or plug-in hybrid vehicles. Compared to electric vehicles, PHEVs have greater range, without compromising anything in fuel efficiency. Electric vehicles have long promised to extend their range to no avail. However, PHEVs have already covered and they offer great power and speed as well.

I’m not necessarily pitting PHEVs and electric vehicles here. I’m just pointing out that not all green vehicles are created equal. Aside from fuel efficiency and lower emissions, PHEVs are also able to supply electricity other than for propulsion. That means PHEVs can use electricity on various equipment such as power tools, accessories, and lights without sacrificing power and speed.

Despite the obvious advantages though, PHEVs also have limitations. Basically, bigger, stronger, and faster PHEVs need bigger and heavier batteries to get the job done. Also, when batteries become larger, they also become more expensive. Truth is, damaged batteries are hard to replace and that’s reason PHEV owners should take care of this component

If you think that reaching an MPG rating of 235 is impossible, think again. That’s because right now, Volkswagen is working on a vehicle that delivers that number. Known as the VW 1-liter, this vehicle looks like it just came from a sci-fi movie. Basically, the VW 1-liter has a narrow body and nearly flat body. With its design, the vehicle has an amazing drag coefficient of just 0.159 and with its 235 MPG, it can travel for 400 miles using only its 1.7-gallon fuel tank. Its speed is also decent because latest measurements have shown that it can go as fast as 75 mph.

General Motors recently stepped up its hydrogen fuel cell plan by introducing the Cadillac Provoq. Now only in its concept stage, the model is already receiving rave reviews everywhere. The best thing about the Cadillac Provoq is that it mixes high-performance fuel cells with the great styling and topnotch engine qualities that it has. Some of the great features that it has are roof-integrated solar panel and power on-board electronics.

Cadillac Provoq

When it comes to acceleration, the Cadillac Provoq can blast from 0-60 mph in just under nine seconds. Another impressive thing is that its maximum range can go as far as 300 miles and that’s higher than any other fuel-cell powered vehicle out there.

The power of the Cadillac Provoq comes from hydrogen pack and lithium-ion batteries that can be found underneath it. Meanwhile, it will take a few years before General Motors finally unleashes this monster to the public.

Tom Hanks

There’s a positive trend sweeping Hollywood A-listers, and it has little to do with fashion or vegetarian living. It’s showing love for green cars. These days, more and more Hollywood stars and starlets are showing their support for Mother Nature by driving environmentally-friendly rides. Some A-listers are even writing about their commitment to turning this “trend” into something more lasting–the norms, perhaps?

The latest green car enthusiast to show his support for electrics and hybrids is none other than the great Tom Hanks. According to TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk, Mr. Hanks has recently written a letter to the New Yorker. It’s his way of setting things straight with regards to the electric cars he’s been using in the last few years.

Peter J. Boyer’s original article made the assumption that the 52-year old Academy Award-winning actor had an EV1, which was briefly produced by GM. Hanks, however, was quick to say that this certainly wasn’t the case. According to the letter from Hanks:

The Improved EV? The Newly-Launched Toyota FT-EV

“By the time I began shopping for an all-electric car, in 2003, the EV1 had already been yanked from showrooms as if the car had never existed. Instead, I found what was purported to be the very last electric car available for sale in the state of California–a Toyota EV. It had four doors, a rear hatch, room for my family, including a dog in the back, power windows, A/C, a great sound system, and the fastest, most effective windshield defroster known to mankind.”

“When the car companies collectively, and, to some, diabolically decided to take these cars back, the electric vehicles disappeared. But not mine. I have the pink slip. I own that car, and it is still driven everyday, albeit by one of my crack staff of employees. My electric car recently crossed fifty thousand miles on odometer with its original battery but without so much as a splash of gasoline,” Hanks added.

Talk about an excellent green commitment! Now if only we had more people showing the same commitment as Mr. Hanks and his staff, then we can help reduce the amount of pollution produced daily worldwide.