Seen this yet guys?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsM9F...eenpeace%20SUV
The e.mail I wrote to Greenpeace in response.
Hello,
I very rarely feel compelled to write letters based upon what I see 'in the media', but the film you have made about City Gas Guzzlers really got me rather angry.
Before I go on to the main body of this complaint, I'd like to let you know that I did find the advert amusing, and in principal at least, I can't stand seeing SUVs on Britain's town roads.
However, what I fail to understand is what you are trying to achieve with this film? Are you hoping that people will see it and start abusing their SUV driving colleagues in such an underhand way? Probably not - I should think it was just found funny.
Seriously though, what I do have a problem with is the utterly brainless nature of the whole campaign:
You give statistics like 'SUVs use around 300% more fuel than an efficient family car' which is basically meaningless to anyone who understands how cars work, but sounds shocking to Joe Public;
You make no mention of the fact that the Lupo diesel uses less fuel than the Prius;
You fail to mention the bucket-loads of cash being spent by manufacturers to improve vehicle emmisions (particle filters, catalytic convertors, fuel injection, computerised engine management.. the list goes on and on);
And, MOST importantly of all: there's no explanation of what makes a gas-guzzler a gas guzzler - you seem to just lump any large car into that category, depite the fact that the DIESEL 4x4 you use in your advert has four cylinders and is really no worse than an old estate car.
Surely the best approach to getting SUVs off the road is to get the manufactuers and car fans (or motoring journalists like myself) on your side... not going to happen when you have the audacity to let your freelancing blogger call Geoff Upex a wanker! He's a well-respected, nice bloke who's doing his job.... comments like that will do you no favours.
What you also have to remember is that SUVs (like MPVs and mini-SUVs before them) are a fashion fad that will go away before we even realise it... even Porsche are already planning the demise of the Cayenne to make way for their four-door Panamera... it can't be too long before the celeb Prius driving catches on? Can it? Again, your efforts would be much better focussed on things that really make a difference... if you still want to abuse car owners (we're such an easy target) why not make 2CV and Beetle drivers your focus of hate? These guys don't have to pay Tax for their vast C02 emmisions thanks to them being 'Classic' cars; they have big, sticky-outty chrome bumpers for snapping children's ankles; are totally unsafe for the occupant and are utterly filthy cars for emmisions and efficiency.
Why not fully turn your attention away from cars and cast your eyes skyward, you'll find a world utterly rife with truly brainless pollution. A couple of examples for you....
Why do companies still fly employees to other countries for meetings when they can, very easily and cheaply, set up a video conference?
Why do people take three holidays abroad in a single year? Devon is quite nice... so is the Lake District... why aren't you on their case and promoting the green peace (see what I did there?!) of a holiday in Britain's rolling countryside?
Where are the taxes for airlines flying old planes with no scrubbers?
Again.. the list goes on and on.
Right, time for another properly serious bit... you need to go on a serious fact finding mission on your website and STOP this half-truth written as fact thing you appear to be obssesed with. A good example me and a mate ('mate' has a masters in bio-mechanical engineering and material science) found, which has nothing to do with the cars bit but it still pissed me off:
"Nuclear containers are highly vulnerable to attack from an armour piercing round"
What it doesn't mention is that the only armour piercing round they're vulnerable to is fired from a Chieftain tank and is 100mm across. I appreciate that the addition of those few words somewhat diminishes the impact of the statement, but when you actually have people leaving caps off Nuclear Transporters, do you really have to resort to Blair/Bush half-truth tactics?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...046104,00.html
Right, that's going to be the end of my 'rant', although I hope that's not how it came across.
I used to have a lot of respect for Greenpeace, but you're really starting to stray desperately near to tactics used by the governments you so vehmently try to bring to account - the writing on your website looks a lot like propoganda... just present the facts, and trust that fully present and correct information will be able to swing it for you.
Surely if the evidence is that conclusive you don't need hyperbole?
Kindest regards,
Pete W*******h
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Originally Posted by my porsche
