Better environmental technology is critical because our nation's vehicles emit an enormous amount of pollution. The 120 billion gallons of gasoline American cars and light trucks consume produces over a billion tons of CO2 pollution annually. The biggest single step we can take to curb global warming is to make cars and light trucks go further on a gallon of gasoline. While there is no technology to remove carbon dioxide from a car's exhaust, we can decrease emissions by making them more fuel-efficient. That is why we're so excited about the Prius.
Automobiles are major contributors to global warming, smog and suburban sprawl.
This award recognizes the Toyota Prius, which can help reduce global warming and air pollution. We must also design convenient and livable neighborhoods to encourage walking, bicycling and public transit. This, along with reduced subsidies to driving, will help curb sprawl and traffic congestion. The Sierra Club is grateful for the technical assistance of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, which consulted with us on this award. The Sierra Club is the nation's oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization with more than 600,000 members.