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Aside from the funny dance moves, the rock stars and the crazy fashion with which we remember the eighties, this era can be remembered as a time of great advances in the automotive industry. It has also been the time when great advances in globalizing motor trends have taken place, carrying with it the unwanted boon of pollution and environmental damage. Just a few decades ago, it is quite a rarity to find anybody who cares about our environment as much as we do now. Presently, we can only look back and cringe at the time we cared more about how big our hairs are than if what we are doing is hurting the environment or not.

Car manufacturers have now taken heed to the call for more environmental friendly systems for our vehicles. Sustainable Development is currently something the government and consumers are looking for among car makers. Among the car manufacturing giants, Japanese car maker Honda blazes the trail with new innovations that does not compromise being nature friendly. So far, the company has introduced models that are equipped with earth friendly technology meeting EURO 4 emission regulations.
Two of the more popular “green” engines launched by Honda are the i-DSI engine and the i-VTEC engine.

The i-DSI Engine

The name i-DSI is an acronym for Intelligent – Dual and Sequential Ignition. This engine is characterized as having a 2 spark plug per cylinder feature which enables rapid combustion of the air-fuel mixture resulting to high output with minimal fuel. This engine from Honda is one of only a few car engines which received the “Low Emission Excellence” certificate in Japan from its Ministry of Transportation. This engine features cleaner exhaust gas emissions because of its efficient combustion. The i-DSI is known and liked by many for its lightweight, compact high performance engine that is packed with a lot of horses and ample torque regardless of the RPM level. This is the type of engine that one can find in the City and Jazz models from Honda.

The i-VTEC Engine

Trusted by many since its launch, the Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (VTEC) system of Honda draws considerable praise as the world’s first valve mechanism that can simultaneously change the valve timing and lift on the intake and exhaust sides. The i-VTEC is the result of car developers at Honda taking the old VTEC system up another notch. Dubbed as the intelligent VTEC, this engine follows EURO 4 emission standards. The i-VTEC engine can be found in Honda models like the Civic (for its 1.8 SOHC and 2.0 DOHC models), the Accord (for its 2.4 and 3.0 V6 models) and the CRV.

I feel that as more car manufacturers jump to the wagon of caring for our mother earth, we are given not only a good choice of what vehicles to buy but a chance to work for a worthwhile cause also. Indeed, technology must be harnessed as a means of improving function without compromising the ecosystem. The technology that blends seamlessly to ones lifestyle without posing any threat to the environment is definitely a vision worth toiling for.