Until now, many people who have considered getting a hybrid car to suit their green lifestyle have found the premium price on hybrid cars compared to conventional cars off-putting.

Since their first appearance on the roads in the late 1990s, hybrids have gradually dropped in price, but are they still more expensive to buy than other cars.  Now, though, may be the time to take advantage of incentives on offer from the two largest Japanese car manufacturers.

In the US, Honda and Toyota have increased their new car offers across the board.  The incentives include cash rebates, 0% financing and better leasing deals.

Generally, these two manufacturers have kept a tight rein on inventory and production, rather than use tempting sales discounts.  However, their incentives are more comparable with American manufacturers this year.  For example, according to TrueCar.com in September, Honda offered an average of $2,350 on new vehicles, representing a 6.8 per cent increase on the same month in 2010. Similarly, Toyota offered $2,250, 7.1 per cent more than in 2010.

The increased incentive by the Japanese manufacturers has been linked to increased competition from other car manufacturers.  Traditionally, Honda and Toyota customers remain loyal to their chosen brand, but now it seems that they are more willing to shop around.

In comparison the US manufacturers’ incentives were as follows: General Motors up 1.5% at $3,300, Ford down 6.6% to $2,850 and Chrysler down 8.2% from the previous September to $3,350.

While hybrid cars still have higher sales ticket prices than non-hybrids, these incentives may well boost hybrid sales.  The initial extra amount spent is soon made up through better fuel economy and reduced running costs such as road tax, due to the lower emissions that hybrids produce.  And of course, the longer that you keep the car, the more it will pay you back.

It seems as though not very many people have been in the “holiday spirit” this past month. As I meet more figureheads in the green blogosphere, I’m also coming across quite a few trolls.

For those of you who are not familiar, a troll is a generalized term used to describe the types of people that spend the majority of their time leaving inflammatory comments on a blog post with the sole purpose of eliciting a reaction. This type of person likes to create an irrational argument out of the most seemingly innocuous conversation.

I wont get into the whole psychology of anonymity (are you familiar with 4chan?), but I had thought better of our green community.

Last week, Sami Grover of Treehugger, released another response to the “green troll” situation. Rarely do I find posts that mirror my views so accurately. Please check it out.

When I saw this story on the Mother Nature Network, Italy seizes $1.9 billion of assets as Mafia goes green, I wasn’t quite sure what to think. MNN usually comes out with great posts, and this one was no different. The title sure grabs you in, doesn’t it?

If you go on to read the rest of the article, you’ll see how Italy’s organized crime families are dipping into renewable energy to help fund their activities. This post is not meant to highlight or laud the efforts of a criminal organization. Instead, you should focus on the profitability of the renewable energy here.

Senator Costantino Garraffa, a member of the parliamentary anti-Mafia committee, said the Mafia was trying to break into the “new economy,” of alternative energy as it sought out virgin ventures to launder money from drugs and other rackets.

Italy is the 3rd largest producer of solar energy in Europe, after Spain and Germany.

Check out these power standby usage data

I always knew that turning off the lights when you weren’t using them was important(thanks dad!). And thanks to recent studies and PSAs, I’ve realized that the equipment I have plugged in draws a constant stream of current, and that adds up over time. Still though, I couldn’t be bothered to shove my hand behind my bed with all the dust and dog-fur to unplug my power strip every time I leave the house.

When I took a look at these figures from Lawrence Berkeley International Laboratory, I decided to take another look at what my electric meter is doing while I’m at work/asleep. I’m in a difficult position, as is any green/tech blogger. I love my internets and gadgets, but I also don’t want to be an insurmountable burden on the planet. Surely we can compromise and use less of the appliances that we’re already not using, right?

Stay tuned for a followup post on the environmental impacts of the internet and the modern data consumer.