David Letterman's Top Five List of Things You Can Do

Here's a comprehensive list of the five things that you can do to do your part in this worldwide mission to combat climate change. Mind you, Letterman drives a Chevrolet Corvette and Hummer H2 - regarded as demons in carbon emission output and fuel consumption.

5: Drive slower/nag your parents to drive slower. The statistics prove it works.

According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), driving 55 MPH instead of 65 MPH in interstates results in a 10-15 percent in fuel economy. Less fuel usage, obviously, equates to less emissions.

4: Ditch your SUVs and pickup trucks for compact, fuel-efficient cars (if the Hybrid way is not your way).

For the first time since 1991, the best-selling automobile in the United States in 2008 so far is not a pickup or a SUV. In fact, it is the Honda Civic - a compact, fuel-efficient car. The Ford F-Series, the long-time crown in U.S. auto sales was ranked down to fifth place as other compact and mid-size cars trumped it. If the others are doing it, you (I'm pointing to the owners of gas-guzzling cars/trucks) should do it too to do your part in alleviating climate change. As hybrid cars are still priced higher than conventional gasoline cars, there are many who refuse to pay the green premium. In that case, compact, fuel-efficient cars are the next best types of cars (e.g. Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, etc.) as they are both cheap, and average north of 30 MPG.

3: Carpool with your mates/colleagues/neighbours/miscellaneous people.

Similar to the concept of taking the public transit, carpooling with other people to reach destinations is a great way to conserve fuel and lessen the overall carbon emission output one is responsible for. Calculating basic math principles, obscenely less emission is produced when one car carries five passengers versus five individual cars carrying one person each. You can carpool with your friends to travel to common destinations such as school, theatre, or a soccer field to play in a tournament. The same can be done with your colleagues, neighbours, or even people that you are not acquainted with. For the last example, carpooling with people you don't know is feasible as there are many local programs that hook up people from a certain neighbourhood to carpool together.

2: Take the public transportation (e.g. bus, subway, light-rail tram, etc.) to move around, especially in urban metropolitan areas.

Applying to people living in cities or towns with a public transportation system, take advantage of it next time you want to travel within the region. Sans the pride of owning a private car and a couple of trite luxuries, using the public transit is the most efficient way to travel from point A to point B.

And drum roll please...

1: Purchase a fuel-efficient hybrid-electric car / lobby your parents to consider one for the next purchase.

Hybrid cars emit significantly less carbon emissions than conventional fully gasoline powered cars. The average mileage a car in America achieves is 19 MPG (miles per gallon). On the other hand, the average mileage a hybrid car offered in America achieves is 37 MPG. The cost of hybrid cars is plunging by the years, and the cheapest hybrid-electric car currently offered in America is the Honda Civic Hybrid - priced from $22,600 and achieves 41 MPG.