Smart Cars will be in Cleveland this weekend as the national tour for these 40+ mpg babies (manufactured from a material named Trespa, 80% of which comes from fast-growing European timber without formaldehyde, CFC and asbestos) get ready to hit the U.S. market in 2008. Test drive one from 12 – 7 p.m. on Saturday or Sunday at Wade Oval in University Circle.

While you’re thinking about gas mileage, swing by NRDC’s Drive Beyond Oil tour which will park by Cleveland's Mall C on Monday, July 30 at 2 p.m (UPDATE: The Monday Cleveland stop has been canceled). Their crew is talking to local citizens and clean energy advocates urging them to ask their member of Congress to vote in favor of raising fuel economy standards. Traveling along in a Toyota Highlander hybrid—spreading the message '35 MPG or Bust'—the team's activities are being chronicled in video, photographs, podcasts and daily blog updates.

What about home-grown activities to reduce our mpg?

Cuyahoga County's first alternative fuels station—selling biodiesel (B20) and Ethanol (E85)— should open in late August on State Rd, just south of I-480 in the City of Parma, John McGovern, Clean Fuels Program Coordinator for Earthday Coaltion tells GCBL.