When in Doubt, Go Italian!

Interesting article on Alternet regarding "Green" Transportation. Here's an excerpt:

When in Doubt, Go Italian!

Yes, all the cool kids are driving Vespas these days -- and for good reason -- they are cute, cheap (relative to automobiles), and save a lot on carbon emission. Vespa reports that its scooters get on average 70 mpg, and you're likely not to spend more than eight bucks when you fill up at the pump.

Even better, the company reports:

If Americans were to use one of the latest eco-friendly motor scooters for just 10 percent of their everyday travel, they could potentially reduce national fuel consumption by 14 million gallons of gasoline per day and decrease carbon-dioxide emissions by 324 million pounds per day.

... [T]hey could also reduce fuel consumption by approximately 58 percent, carbon-dioxide emissions by 80 percent, and significantly reduce traffic congestion.

And sales seem to be doing well. Vespa did great when gas prices went through the roof last year, and overall, the Motorcycle Industry Council reported that scooter sales in 2008 reached their highest annual level ever seen.

"The MIC is currently estimating 2008 scooter sales at 222,000, a new record," the Examiner reported. "Back in 1992, total motorcycle and scooter sales combined were just 278,000. Further demonstrating strong interest in affordable, fuel-efficient bikes, 2008 retail sales numbers for dual-purpose motorcycles were at 48,000, their highest levels in nearly a quarter-century."

The entire article can be found here: http://www.alternet.org/environment/142906/americans_are_still_buying_gas-guzzlers%2C_but_here_are_7_signs_that_the_market_for_green_transport_is_exploding/?page=entire