Hybrid Vehicles and Their Effect on the Environment Essay -- Cars Caus

Today, people use their own personal vehicles to travel more than ever before. Personal transportation is no longer considered a luxury; it is now considered a necessity. The number of cars in the United States has been growing steadily since the 1970s. The number of miles traveled by cars has risen nearly 150 percent, yet the United States population has only grown roughly 40 percent during that time (hybridcars.com, Driving Trends). Although it may seem like we are advancing into the future, in reality, we are moving backwards from the effects these vehicles have on our bodies and the environment. The pollution produced by these vehicles has brought us to the day where we must find other modes of transportation that cause less harm to the world in which we live. Advances in technology have developed hybrid vehicles to try and slow down the amount of pollution. Driving a hybrid vehicle, instead of a conventional gas powered vehicle, can reduce the amount of pollution that affects our lives and the environment around us. Harmful Pollutants Carbon Dioxide Many hazardous pollutants escape from the internal combustion of the engine. Conventional gas powered vehicles use irreplaceable fossil fuels to run. When burned, these fossil fuels create numerous toxins like carbon dioxide (Larminie 246). Carbon dioxide is considered the main greenhouse gas that creates the foundation for global warming (hybridcars.com, pollutants). This harmful pollutant may not have a serious effect on people at first, but it does have consequential effects on the environment that in turn put people in danger (Nutramed.com). The major consequence caused by global warming is the rise in average temperature. This results in a domino... ...ster, and West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Ltd., 2003. Nutramed.com. 2009. Air Quality: Airborne Illness Car Exhaust - Health Effects. 20 Nov. 2014. http://www.mutramed.com/environment/carsepa.htm Rqriley.com. 17 June 2012. Electric And Hybrid Vehicles: An Overview of the Benefits, Challenges, and Technologies. 21 Nov. 2014. http://www.rqriley.com/ev-tech.htm Wikipedia.org. 20 Nov. 2014. Global Warming. 20 Nov. 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming#Effects Wikipedia.org. 21 Nov. 2014. Hybrid Vehicle. 21 Nov. 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_vehicles Wikipedia.org. 18 Nov. 2014. Renewable Energy. 21 Nov. 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy Wikipedia.org. 15 Nov. 2014. Sea Level Rise. 20 Nov. 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_level_rise#Effects_of_sea_level_rise