While most of us recognize the benefits of going green, too few of us, especially urban dwellers, have found a simple, active way to do something environmentally responsible.

That's where Zipcar comes in—it helps save the planet by getting drivers off the car-ownership track by allowing them to rent vehicles by the hour or day. And now the largest car-sharing company in North America has turned green into a luxury by teaming up with major residential developers in New Jersey and New York to offer hybrid and high-mileage cars to urban condo owners and apartment dwellers.

The win-win concept is simple: Developers, even those who don't build green projects, get to use the green label, drivers get on-demand and flexible convenience, the air gets cleaner, and the roads get less congested.

"The Zipcars are part of our commitment to green living," says Bruce Redman Becker, developer of The Octagon, a 500-unit green apartment complex on Roosevelt Island, New York, which has three Zipcars, one of which is a Toyota Prius hybrid. "And they are much appreciated by the residents, many of whom are interested in sustainability."

They also have become integral parts of highly touted luxury packages being marketed by a number of complexes, including the Trump Plaza New Jersey in Jersey City, where the BMW 325s are listed along with other amenities, which include a uniformed, round-the-clock doorman, 24-hour concierge service, maid and valet service, shoe shine and repair center, and porter service, that will be available when the two towers open in 2008.

"We asked ourselves, 'What else can we do to make the Trump building the best?'" says Dean S. Geibel, a principal in the Hoboken-based Metro Homes, which is building the $435,000 to $1,240,000 units in partnership with The Trump Organization. "And Donald Trump came up with the idea of Zipcars. We make it really convenient by having a valet deliver the car to the building's entrance."

Under its partnerships, Zipcar provides a discounted membership to residents, typically $25 per year, which is $150 off the regular rate, and developers supply free parking spaces. Drivers, who may reserve the cars online, may rent the cars by the hour or by the day.

Alex Ricardo, who rents a studio at The Octagon for $1,900 a month, says the three Zipcars are "awesome" because the prices—$10 per hour for a hybrid Toyota Prius or $69 per day on weekdays and $12 per hour and $85 per day on weekends—are much cheaper than those of other rental companies. "I use the cars two to three times a month," says the 38-year-old software company sales rep. "Sometimes, I rent it for a few hours; other times, like when I visit my family in New Jersey, I rent it for several days. I don't own a car, so I don't have car insurance, and I don't even have to take out liability insurance like I do with other rental companies because the Zipcar fee includes it." Ricardo likes the door-to-door service and the fact that he doesn't have to pay $225 a month to rent at parking place, not to mention that he's doing something that's good for the environment.

"These partnerships are an integral part of our business," says Julian Espiritu, regional vice president of Zipcar, adding that in metro New York, which has more than 700 Zipcars in more than 80 locations, more than 30 top developers, property managers, and parking organizations offer the share-cars on site. "It takes vehicles off the road because it stops people from buying a car or getting a second car, and it creates parking. And we are LEED-accredited—we get points for the transportation and parking categories—so there are tax benefits to the developer."