I like to think that I'm very ecologiclly conscious. I've replace all my light bulbs in my home with compact floresents ( even though the color of the light leaves ALOT to be desired) I have purchased only energy star appliances, my recycling container is always much fuller then my trash container ( both are collected at curbside each week) and I even keep a bucket in my batroom to captue those first 2 gallons of water that come out while waiting for the hot to make to the bathroom each morning for my shower. I also own 5 older luxury cars that average 16 miles per gallon or less in town. And I drive them all . I still feel I'm doing my part for the environment. Every year I keep my cars on the road,and out of landfills I'm saving tons of energy that's needed to power the coall plants that make the electricity that powers the factories that take all those tiny little pieces of plastic that is made from all that oil that is then shipped, flown, and trucked from all over the world to car factories that need even more energy to put it all togather and ship, truck and fly them all over the world again. The short sided view is that they use more gasoline. Yes, but they save so much more Raw materials, natural resources, and even out of pocket dollars... So I saw buy an old Cadillac, Love it Drive it and know your are helping save the planet and humanity by doing it.;)
This is not one of my cars, this is one of many I've collected off the net. This is a woderful 76 Talisman with a sunroof and 74 Talisman interior.. The perfect fleetwood. MAtthttp://i1.tinypic.com/871uro8.jpg

Matt,

when one considers the amount of fuel and energy required to recycle, melt & ship any junked car,
to manufacture a new car, it is of my opinion that the older car, even considering a less efficient
engine, most likely will use less energy over the next 10 years.. maybe longer.

to add another benefit, older cars tend to use parts from old cars sitting in salvage yards
further reducing the environmental impact.

and they sure make for some pretty eye candy ... on wheels.

of course, good luck trying to convince the CA politicians as they are set on taking every
10+ year old car off the road.