As reported in today's Globe and Mail, the federal government has just announced more than $75 million worth of funding for Car Heaven, a program that provides incentives for drivers to retire their old (pre-1995), gas-guzzling vehicles with newer, cleaner versions.

The pros? New vehicles are subject to much stronger emissions standards than in the past, meaning you'll contribute to far less smog by driving a new car – especially if it's a hybrid.

The cons? It takes a lot of energy and raw product to make a car – possibly more than what you're saving in gas – although the Globe quotes Ersilia Serafini of the Clean Air Foundation as saying that the incentives may be applicable toward bicycles and transit passes as well as new vehicles – perhaps even toward car-sharing programs.

What do you think? Is this a good program or just a lot of hot air?

Owning a car isn't cheap – and with the rising price of gas, it certainly isn't getting any cheaper. And when it comes to your ecological footprint, the less driving you do, the better. But no matter how good your public transit system, there's no denying that having a car around when you need one is rather handy.

One solution? Instead of owning your own car, join a car-sharing program and pay as you go. There's a number of car-sharing programs across the country (visit carsharing.ca for some options); one big one is Zipcar, currently available in Toronto and Vancouver as well as many U.S. cities. I spoke with Michael Lende, general manager of Zipcar Toronto, about the benefits of car-sharing and what he loves about Zipcar. (more...)