Switzerland recently hailed the Toyota Motor Corp.’s Prius as the world’s greenest car, reports Reuters.

The land of breathtaking Alps has named the Japanese automaker’s hybrid after the vehicle has recorded the highest green rating in a draft study evaluating the environmental impact of driving around 6,000 different cars, including C02 emissions which contribute to global warming.

The Swiss government said that it hopes that the list, which is still in draft form and could be revised before it is finalized next year, will persuade drivers to buy cars which have the lowest impact on the environment. Additionally, the list could also be used to impose an emissions-related tax on cars. “The goal is to modernize the fleet of cars and to make the use of natural resources as efficient as possible, so that using cars will exert less pressure on the environment,” says Adrian Aeschlimann, a spokesman for the Federal Office for the Environment.

The Prius, one of the mass-produced hybrids, was produced for sale in Japan, Europe and North America. The hybrid first arrived in showrooms in Japan in 1997 and around the globe in 2001. By the end of 2003, about 160,000 vehicles had been produced for sale.

The milestone product line of the Japanese automaker is engineered to showcase cutting-edge features which are way incomparable with the Toyota Celica radiator and other parts and accessories. It has won several awards to make it noticeable even by celebrities. The Prius has won the Car of the Year Japan accolade in 1997 and 1998, the American Car of the Year in 2004, and the European Car of the Year award in the following year.

The hybrid was rated by the States Environmental Protection Agency’s revised fuel economy procedure at 48 mpg in city driving, and 45 mpg on the highway. California Air Resources Board has rated the hybrid as a Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle.

In the 2000 North American lineup of the automaker, the vehicle was slotted between the Corolla and the Echo. The hybrid was redesigned in 2004 to turn into a midsize hatchback that slot between the Camry and Corolla. The new version of the vehicle was certified as an Advanced Technology Partial zero-emissions vehicle.

The Toyota Prius, equipped with a twinning battery power and a combustion engine, also is considered as one of the most affordable car vehicles in the United States. It also is the best selling hybrid on the road today, though they account for only a fraction of auto sales worldwide.

Switzerland’s NZZ am Sonntag newspaper recently published the names of the top 20 and bottom 20 cars. The Swiss government confirmed the names to Reuters.

The list, as reported, includes Fiat’s Punto 1.2 Bipower and its Panda 1.2 Bipower, the Daihatsu Cuore and Citroen’s C3 1.4i GNV were all in the top five of the draft list, which will be sent to the industry for comments before being finalized. Ford’s Transit and Transit 4×4, the Volkswagen’s T5 and Peugeot’s Boxer were in the bottom five. The Nissan Patrol GR 3.0, meanwhile, got the lowest rating. The said list will be sent to the industry for comments before being finalized. Small cars and other hybrids dominated the top 20 of the list.

The United States accounts for more than half of Toyota’s Prius sales. China and U.S are the world’s top emitters of CO2, reports Domain -B.

Environmentalists welcomed the Swiss government initiative. “It’s great when a national government is behind this, and a list like that will have much more sway and can function as a guideline for the automotive industry,” says Juergen Resch at Germany’s environmental group Deutsche Umwelthilfe.

Have you ever been to Asia? Traveling Asia is something that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. Let me explain you some interesting information about Asia, and if you’re interested, then this is worth reading, because you can never tell what you don’t know. When you travel to Asia, there are so many things to see and do; make sure that you plan your trip in advance.

Asia is the largest continent in the world by a considerable margin, and it is rich in natural resources, such as petroleum and iron. When you travel Asia, you want to make sure that you have the flexibility for an occasional adventure. If you are planning to travel to Asia within the next year, and are looking for some fun festivities to attend, then we have some incredible Asian festivals for you to check out during your travels.

Asia is one of the most extraordinary and diverse continent in terms of people and travel destinations. Asia is one of the seven continents in the world. But even though it is the seventh continent but it is the largest continent among all. Asia has about more than half of entire of the world’s population, which mostly they are in China and India. Different Asian festivals are listed below which you must see if you visit Asia anytime.

* The Monkey God Festival This deity has been celebrated during the month of September at Kowloon’s Sau Mau Ping Temple. The Monkey God first appeared in Chinese literature during the Ming Dynasty in the book, “Pilgrims to the West”.

* The Festival of the Hungry Ghosts Hong Kong hosts this unusual yearly event, held on the 14th day of the seventh moon.

* Asakusa Samba Tokyo’s version of the Rio Carnival happens every August, in the Asakusa district.

* Yasothon Rocket Festival In the middle of May, things get very noisy for Asian travelers to the Phaya Thaen Park in Thailand.

* Parade of the God of Medicine On the 15th day of the third lunar month, the city of Taiwan is taken over by this world-renowned Asian festivity – a must for travelers in the area because of its spectacular parade.

Asia offers travelers a huge variety of places to visit, things to do and, cultures to see. If you are visiting Asia for the very time then we insist you to visit following places. * India: It is Asia’s largest and most heavily populated countries. * Korea: It is one of the most westernized of all Asian nations. * China: China is rapidly emerging as the top destination for travelers to Asia. * Vietnam: Vietnam is reshaping its image among world travel destinations. * Thailand: Thailand is the most popular tourist destination. Thailand is one of the most popular in all of Asia, as well. * Japan: Japan has something for every traveler who visits. The hardest thing is fitting it all in. * Philippines: Those who do visit will enjoy beautiful spots like the Boracay beaches and Lake Sebu. * Indonesia: Indonesia will show you an exciting and wonderful Asian travel destination.