Brussels Gives 4x4 Drivers the Red Card

Our friend Jeroen from the group 4x4Info Action in Belgium wrote us recently about an awareness raising activity they did recently, which has received a lot of press attention.

"11 people were dressed as football referee and handed out red cards to SUV drivers. We had a team of 6 cheerleaders which created a party-like atmosphere."

What did the anti-4x4 activists want to express? Here's their list:

* Despite the fact that heavy cars emit more CO2, car manufacturers continue to flood cities with them.

* Car manufacturers break the rules by not informing consumers on the CO2 emissions of the cars they sell, and advert mainly heavy and powerful cars instead of fuel-efficient vehicles.

* Consequently, car manufacturers fail to meet the CO2 reduction emission targets, but paradoxically blame consumers for it.

* Governments should show strong leadership and force car manufacturers to make CO2 reduction a top priority.

How do 4x4 Drivers Park?

We received this photo this week, from one of our MySpace supporters. He wrote: 'I see what you mean! spotted this specimen in my town, owner was a young mum with no visible disability or sticker on car, she gave me a mouthful for taking this pic!'

Well, this isn't the first time we've heard of lousy or fraudulent parking. We regularly see 4x4s hogging two parking bays (to protect their baby) or the wheel base sticking farther out into the street.

Hoodies to Fight 4x4s

As the winter cold takes over activists need warmer gear for ticketing those arrogant and obsessive luxury 4x4s. So we have designed a few hooded sweatshirts. Here, Olivia sports one of the best selling designs, available from our shop.

Are Diesel and LPG 4x4s Better or Worse for our Cities?

We get a lot of complaints from disgruntled owners of large urban luxury 4x4s who drive diesel models or who have converted their old Landie to LPG.

Diesel cars in general burn 'hotter' and so are more 'fuel efficient'. They also emit less CO2. So, should we be congratulating drivers for 'going green' by buying diesel and using LPG?

Well, our friend Simon Birkett over at the Campaign for Clean Air has informed us that diesel engines should be replaced in general by petrol or LPG in cities and that diesel vehicles should be priced out of London. The reason? Diesel vehicles produce up to 3 times as much air pollution.

And while LPG generally produces less CO2 and other air pollutants than petrol models, the benefits aren't that clear cut. This week the Department for Transport released a report that compares petrol engines and LPG. The study shows that some car models produce twice as much NOx on LPG as they do with petrol. So, some vehicles are better and some are worse in this regard.

Also, the lack of refuelling stations for LPG means driving further may offset the inherent CO2 benefit.

Thinking about converting your vehicle to CNG (compressed natural gas)? It appears that it's not an alternative vehicle fuel to consider because it tends to leak and blow-up!

Carbon Health Warnings for all New Cars

According to the Times (20 Oct 2007), 'all advertising for new cars will have to carry cigarette-style “health warnings” about their environmental impact, under a European plan to force manufacturers to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.'

'Advertisements in newspapers and magazines, will have to devote at least 20 per cent of the space to details about fuel economy and CO2 emissions. At the moment manufacturers have to include only basic mpg and CO2 figures in the small print. They do not have to explain what the numbers mean or provide any comparison.'

Repeatedly the car representatives say their advertising does not create demand for larger heavier and more polluting 4x4s, and they blame the consumers for not demanding more fuel efficient cars. The industry will now be forced to accept that their aggressive advertising does create demand, and their ads need to spell out clearly the environmental impacts their products have on society.

This is welcome news, particularly as the car manufacturers fight against any meaninful EU regulations on the CO2 emission levels of the cars they build.