Green Living
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Resolve a debate over green cars
I say that keeping my Toyota Tercel is a greener choice then 'upgrading*' to a hybrid (probably Ford Escape).
I say that we would be keeping another car from coming off the production lines, as well as keeping money in our own pockets by avoiding payments.
He argues that it will pay its self of in savings on gas, and since we live close to the city it will help cut our emissions.
*I think the world of my little Toyota, and to me its worth its weight in gold. 
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Re: Resolve a debate over green cars
What type of gas mileage do you get with the Tercel? What does the Escape get?
What type of driving do you do (mostly highway, lots of stop and go or a mix)?
My initial thought is that you are right. Keeping your current car is the greener option. This article also agrees with you.
I would keep driving your car while setting money aside (ex, the money that would go to payments if you were to buy a car now). Then when you really need to buy a new car, I would take that money and buy something with cash. This may mean buying used, but this is probably a greener option than buying new.
It's my understanding that about 50% of the lifetime environmental impact from an automobile comes during manufacturing. Thus, waiting as long as possible to replace your car is typically the right choice for the environment. Also, hopefully waiting will mean that you can buy a car with higher gas mileage when you do buy your next car.
It's also hard for the financial savings from better gas mileage on a new car vs an old car to make up for the savings you get from driving a used car over driving a new car. You have to be talking about a big difference is gas mileage and a lot of miles driven!
I'm not saying you should get the hybrid, but I think if you did you wouldn't necessarily be creating a higher demand for cars... assuming you would sell your used car, someone might buy yours instead of buying a new car when their car has reached the end of its life. It's not black and white. I can't say much without knowing MPG on both.
Unless your car gets 5 MPG and is leaking all sorts of fluids and can't be fixed, I feel like driving it into the ground is more EF.
And aren't there serious discussions about the battery disposal in particular that can help cancel out some of the EF'ness of a hybrid?
Are any hybrids made in EF plants? I'm pretty sure I remember our car salesman telling us that smarts are made from recycled materials, and that 80% of the car is recyclable. I think the factory is also quite green and produces very little waste. That would be something to consider, too.
I am a firm believer in driving cars until they no longer run, or cost way more to repair then they are worth. I vote that keeping your car is greener.
On the other hand, Hybrids do not have to be more expensive. I'm a girl who won't buy a brand new car though because it ups the demand for new car production. I do drive a prius, however, I bought one used when the economy crashed. It was 10 months old, has a great interior package in it, and I only paid 15,000. I got way more car than if I had bought a brand new one. It has already paid for itself in gas because a) I didn't buy a super pricey one, and b) my old car was a 91 subaru that was getting like 19-21 mpg.
There are a lot of factors to consider, but don't buy a new hybrid just because it says hybrid.
As someone who loves her Prius to death, your DH is wrong about this. I love the great gas mileage, but we do not come close to saving enough in gas to offset the monthly car payment. If your Tercel doesn't have any emissions issues, I think you're much better sticking with that from an environmental standpoint.