When flowers bloom and birds sing, we realize how much we love nature. Spring is here and our heart goes out to all things green and colorful. Unfortunately, even if dooms-day reports are mellowed down, our planet doesn’t seem to be faring too well on the environment front. Hurricanes and Tsunamis are obvious indicators of the globe warming up.

In recent times, eco-consciousness has spread well beyond a group of tree-hugging hippies and all of us are told to be responsible and do the right thing.

But how much should we give up?

Take our old cars, for instance. Should we give them up because some reports suggest that they are more polluting? And what about all the energy and resources that go into making a new car?

Well, you can relax now, because there’s an easy and simple way to continue to use your old car and not harm the environment.

Did you know that just by replacing the old parts of your car with new and perfect-condition used auto parts, you could turn your wheels into an eco-friendly drive?

Upgrading your car parts will improve its overall efficiency. It’ll give you better mileage and we all know how that helps the environment.

Toyota Motors have announced that they are recalling 133,000 2010 Model Year Prius vehicles and 14,550 Lexus Division 2010 HS 250h. The company says that they need to update the software in the vehicle's anti-lock brake system . Prius cars produced after May 2009 are affected by the recall.

"We're committed to doing everything we can - as fast as we can - to restore consumer trust in Toyota, and these recalls are part of this effort," said Jim Lentz, President and Chief Operating Officer, Toyota Motor Sales. "We regret the inconvenience this recall will cause to Prius and HS 250h owners, and will do our best with the support of our dealers to make sure that it is conducted in the most trouble-free manner possible."

General Motors announced today they are scheduled to invest $246 million on electric motors and aim to debut next-generation, rear-wheel-drive Two-mode Hybrid technology in 2013. The Detroit based automaker says in a press release:

"Electric motor innovation supported the first wave of automotive growth a century ago with the electric starter, which eliminated the need for a hand crank, and revolutionized automotive travel for the customer," said Tom Stephens, GM vice chairman, Global Product Operations. "We think the electrification of today's automobiles will be just as revolutionary and just as beneficial to our customers. Electric motors will play a huge role in that."

"In the future, electric motors might become as important to GM as engines are now," Stephens said. "By designing and manufacturing electric motors in-house, we can more efficiently use energy from batteries as they evolve, potentially reducing cost and weight - two significant challenges facing batteries today."

Get ready for the Personal Urban and Mobility and Accessibility vehicle which will be known by the masses as P.U.M.A. General Motors and Segway are teaming up for an enclosed 2 seat vehicle that has the fuel efficiency of 200 mpg. The car will be for urban driving and will be able to reach speeds of 35 mph.

"We're excited about doing more with less," said Jim Norrod, chief executive of Segway, the Bedford, N.H.-based maker of electric scooters. "Less emissions, less dependability on foreign oil and less space."

No word on what Segway and GM are looking at as a price point for the vehicle. Here is a video demonstration of the P.U.M.A.

Honda today announced that they have delivered their second Hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle. The lucky recipient of the car is actress Jamie Lee Curtis, took delivery of the vehicle on July 31, 2008. Curtis and her family will be one of 200 customers who will be leasing the vehicles from Honda. Honda and its customers will test the state of the art vehicles for the next three years.

"I really wasn't expecting it to be so luxurious," said Curtis. "It's luxurious, luxurious, luxurious! I love the interior layout, design and access to controls. It is user-friendly and very modern."

The United Postal Service may be going "green" sometime soon. General Motors has provided the the USPS a Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell electric vehicle as the agency explores ways to save money on fuel and helping the environment at the same time.

"We are looking for a vehicle that operates from a fuel source that reduces -- or eliminates -- our dependence on petroleum products, that is good for the environment, good for our customers and good for the Postal Service," said Walter O'Tormey, vice president, Engineering, as he accepted the keys to the Equinox Fuel Cell that will be tested in Irvine, CA.

"We are very encouraged by GM's fuel cell technology," O'Tormey added. "We also want to explore other options, such as hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid and other 'green' vehicles that will help us continue to provide our customers with reliable service while protecting the environment."

The postal service is getting hard by the higher prices of fuel. The cost of filling up postal vehicles is expected th go up a staggering $600 million this year. Hydrogen fueled vehicles are twice as efficient as an internal combustion engine and can be made in many ways using both traditional and renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar and biomass energy.

The Cleveland area is the greenest part of the Buckeye state to drive in according to a recent study by Mens Health Magazine. The July/August edition of the popular periodical named Seattle, Washington, as the most friendly city for transportation in the United States. Cleveland ranked 26th in the study receiving a "B" grade. The study took in to account things like cities with the worst gas-guzzling offenders, the magazine tabulated data on gas consumption, measured miles racked up annually, checked air quality (ozone and particle pollutants), logged vehicle efficiency (that is, their size, age, and frequency of tuneups), and incorporated mass-transit quality and usage.

Here is a look at the 100 cities named in the study. The magazine hit stores today:

1. Seattle, WA A+
2. Burlington, VT A+
3. Portland, OR A+
4. Madison, WI A
5. Fargo, ND A
6. Rochester, NY A
7. Minneapolis, MN A-
8. Spokane, WA A-
9. San Francisco, CA A-
10. Norfolk, VA A-
11. Boston, MA A-
12. Oakland, CA A-
13. Buffalo, NY A-
14. Miami, FL B+

Toyota unveiled photos of a new Hybrid truck that will be displayed at the Detroit Auto Show. The new truck will be smaller than a Toyota Rav4 and be similar in style to their rival Honda's Ridgeline.

The Toyota A-BAT will seat four and is 15 in length which is 9 inches shorter than the Toyota Tacoma. No word on what the fuel economy or towing capabilities.

Toyota has not said when they plan to produce the new pickup truck but with its futuresque look it would likely win over buyers who are looking for an environmentally friendly car that has the functionality of a pickup.

Porsche is displaying their 108-Year-Old Porsche Hybrid at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The engine is considered the forerunner to today's gas/electric vehicles. The company produced the vehicle at the turn of the 20th century and does not produce any emissions.

The old hybrid will be placed next to the new Porsche Cayenne which will feature the latest hybrid technology.

The company's first hybrid is making its first voyege to North America. The old car is on permanent display at the Technical Museum in Vienna.