The Japanese Automakers’ Campaign

Spread of diseases, warmer waters and more hurricanes, increased probability and intensity of droughts and heat waves, economic consequences and polar ice caps melting - these are just some of the harmful risks of global warming on the environment and all living things in the planet, that's according to Environmental Graffiti, the third largest environmental blog worldwide.

In their website, the group posted a question I'm sure everybody's also thinking
about lately: So what is the solution? Followed by series of questions like: "Will shiny plants save us from global warming? Will we have to teach global warming for kids?"

Japan automakers have an answer. And not only that, they also have a concrete solution. In AutoChannel last Sunday, Jiji Press reported that Japanese automakers are now speeding up their development of hydrogen-powered vehicles.

By the end of this year, Honda Motors is expected to start leasing hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles in Japan and the United States and mass-produce fuel cell vehicles within 10 years. Meanwhile, the Mazda Motor Corporation will begin delivering rotary engine-powered vehicles to Norway this summer. Those cars will be utilized by the Norwegian government for its HyNor national project in which hydrogen-fueled vehicles will undergo test drives along a 580-kilometer route between Oslo and Stavanger.

Using hydrogen in vehicles is perceived to be a great means to stop global warming because it does not emit carbon dioxide when burned, thus, making it an excellent replacement for fossil fuels. It's just like having an Acura Legend air filter in your car.

"We must realize a society that uses hydrogen as a main energy source in order to prevent global warming," said Nippon Oil Corporation Managing Director Ikutoshi Matsumura.

However, setting up of a hydrogen supply network is one obstacle Japanese automakers need to overcome for now in order to pursue its plans of producing more hydrogen-fueled vehicles. So far, there were 12 hydrogen stations built in Tokyo as part of a test project but more support are still needed said one Mazda official.

In the United States, nine automakers from around the world are boasting of passenger vehicles with either a hydrogen fuel cell or hydrogen combustion engine. Yet, only four companies - BMW, General Motors, Honda and Toyota, have just completed "real world" test research.

Since hydrogen is the most abundant element on Earth, using it to save the planet is a brilliant idea to save the planet from the destructions global warming might cause. But as always, it can be achieved step by step. No turning back.