<http://schema.org/articleBody>
" Myth: Hybrid and electric vehicles are always better for the environment. Reality: If your electricity is generated from a coal power plant, a 100 MPGe electric vehicle can actually be worse than a gasoline car. Electric vehicles may not produce any tailpipe emissions, but they are not truly &amp;quot;zero-emission&amp;quot; unless they get their energy from a renewable source. Hybrid cars usually only get better city mileage, while non-hybrid compact cars can rival a hybrid&amp;#039;s highway mileage. Hybrid SUVs are better for the environment than conventional SUVs, but still behind small cars. Myth: You need to warm up your car&amp;#039;s engine.  Reality: Modern engines, in combination with lighter weight oils (many cars now recommend 5W30 or 5W20) no longer need extended idling periods. Warming your motor excessively just wastes fuel. If it&amp;#039;s below 0oF consider a warm up period of 30 seconds, or longer if your heater is necessary. Myth: 100% recyclable means 100% recycled. Reality: Recyclable only means that it can be recycled, it doesn&amp;#039;t mean that the product is made from recycled material. To gain the benefits of using recyclable products, they need to be recycled at the end of their useful life.  Myth: Wind and solar energy can power the entire country. Reality: Aside from hydropower, renewables only power 4% of the U.S. In recent years, their use is on the rise but we&amp;#039;re far from being able to eliminate our reliance on coal-based electricity. Due to the variable nature of the wind and sun, these generation methods are challenging to integrate into our energy infrastructure in high volumes. Myth: Paper is better than plastic Reality: Paper can easily be recycled, but it takes one quarter the energy to create a plastic bag. If you&amp;#039;re using plastic, return them to your grocer for recycling. Even better, take along a reusable fabric bag or two on your next shopping trip. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/institute/a20243/five-green-myths/>