Don't trample on the planet

Thousands of cars invade piazza venezia, in Rome. "Don't trample on the planet" this is the message from terra! which denounces illegal car advertising
Terra! presents a new research report on illegal car advertising as part of its campaign for energy efficiency in the car industry.

This morning at dawn, Piazza Venezia in Rome awoke to find it had been invaded by thousands of model cars and Terra!'s mascot, large green rabbits wearing balaclavas, in protest against CO2 emissions and illegal car advertising.

DON'T TRAMPLE ON THE PLANET, is the message launched this morning by 30 Terra! Activists, here to present the association's new report on illegal car advertising, as part of its campaign for energy efficiency in the car industry.

The report, entitled “SELLING SMOKE”, highlights the rampant lawlessness of the car industry's advertising. This advertising simply does not comply with the legal requirements  for the information that must be provided to consumers regarding fuel consumption and CO2 emissions..
91% of the advertising analysed in Terra!'s report is illegal, because it supplies no information whatsoever about CO2 emissions or the information it provides is extremely hard to read, and therefore it does not comply with the laws in force.

“Lawlessness seems to be more the norm than the exception. The car industry continues to scorn both people's health and the health of the environment, by denying consumers the possibility and the right to make an informed, sustainable choice, both for their wallets and for their environment.” - said Daniel Monetti, a spokesman for Terra!

Of a sample of 492 advertisements examined, only 9% can be considered in compliance with the law by providing information on fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of the vehicles advertised, as legally required. 5,68% of the advertising analysed does not supply any information about consumption or CO2, while in the vast majority - 85,6% - the information is printed in very small letters or in such a way that it is very hard to read. Of all the advertising analysed, 91% does not comply with the laws in force, because either it supplies no information about CO2 emissions or this information is printed in very small letters or in a way that makes it very hard to read.

1Following its investigation into illegal advertising, Terra! has sent a formal complaint   to the Institute of Advertising Self-regulation (IAP), the Union of Italian Chambers of Commerce and the Chambers of Commerce of the various cities involved in Terra!'s investigation (the authorities responsible for implementing the law regarding car advertising), to denounce 96 different illegal advertisements referring to the same number of models of cars, all of which were examined in the report.
Terra! proposes several additions to the Presidential Decree that regulates car advertising, and suggests clearer wording based on the graduated colour scale which is already used to indicate the energy efficiency of household appliances.

Greenhouse gas emissions in Italy have increased by 7,1%, while in most European countries they have decreased. What is most worrying is road transport itself, responsible for nearly 70% of the increase in greenhouse gas emissions between 1990 and 2007. If we continue like this, our country will never reach the Kyoto objectives.

The following car companies were investigated by Terra!: Audi, Bmw, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Citroen, Dacia, Daihatsu, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jaguar, Jeep Patriot, Kia, Lancia, Land Rover, Maserati, Mazda, Mercedes Benz, Mini, Nissan, Opel, Peugeot, Renault, Saab, Seat, Smart, Ssang Jong, Subaru, Suzuki, Tata, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo.