Using the word “hybrid” to describe cars has always cracked me up a little. I just get images of some sort of mutant vehicle a la Star Trek in my head instead of visions of clean air and mother earth. But I digress.

Say you want to be a super eco-traveler, and you’re visiting Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Oakland, San Diego, Santa Ana or San Jose. You could opt for a hybrid rental car through EV Rental, which claims to be the nation’s only hybrid rental car company. They even have the Ford Escape SUV hybrid, a car I’ve been wanting to check out. Renting one of these babies is also a good way to test drive the hybrid phenom. Like most earth-friendly products, these rentals are more expensive ($49/day and up) than gas-guzzler rentals. Such is life. Saving the environment can be a bitch.