There's been a recent surge of news about solar activity and the solar cycle -- and of course, variations in solar activity always seem to get brought into discussions of climate change. Listen in this week, and I'll give you some quick background on solar physics, the solar cycle, and how it all impacts us in the end...

But left out of this rush to technology is any discussion of the fact that not all hybrids are equal. Some are little different from conventional cars, and consume fuel with equal gusto. Others offer dramatic improvements in fuel economy, but may not appear at your local automotive dealer's showroom floor for years.

What's a well-intentioned, but budget-minded potential car buyer to do?

Listen in to this episode, and I'll give you a quick education in hybrid vehicle technologies. You'll be able to tell series from parallel, and electric from hydraulic with aplomb -- and more importantly, understand some of the challenges that lie ahead for this technology, and how to tell when a hybrid vehicle's price premium makes it a worthwhile investment.

This episode is the first in a series on ways you and I can help fight climate change.