The Sierra Club will show you with the MPG Calculator. Choose the make and model of your car, how many miles you drive per year and the average cost you pay for gas at the pump.

For example, I entered Volkswagen Jetta at 12,500 miles per year at $3/gallon. Click on the "I Want My MPG!" button and here's the results:

If fuel economy standards were modernized, I would
Use 182 fewer gallons of gas a year
Save $545 at the pump annualy
Reduce CO2 emissions by 5,083 pounds

It is a fun tool that really shows the impact of what increasing fuel economy standards could do: mainly saving you money and reducing green house gas emissions. Of course raising fuel economy standards relies on politicians and automakers getting on board, and there are a few proposals out there, but the call to action might also have to come from drivers. How much could you be saving?

Sierra Club was founded by John Muir in San Fran back in 1892. It now has chapters across the United States that help protect, and restore the earth. They're not bad educators on the topic, either.

By getting involved with your local chapter of the Sierra Club, you can help preserve your local environment. Each location has their own specific problems from logging issues in Alaska to brownfields in New York to coal in Texas.

The organization even offers an opportunity to "adventure with a cause," with a wide variety of outings to explore all around the world. There are so many options, it might be tough to choose - but don't worry, they say, "Whatever you choose, know this: Our trips take you to our own favorite wild places, and we'll do our best to teach you how to help us protect them"

Rebecca says: My local Sierra Club is an instrumental part of attempting to get the Everglades Skyway built. Basically, a highway was constructed long ago to "fill in" the swamp - which we now realize is a river of grass. The highway completely blocks the flow of water in the region and is causing detrimental issues to the environment. Sierra Club is recommending building this skyway to lift an 11-mile section of the highway that will let the water flow.