. | . |
SUV Drivers Beware: Paris Can Be A Deflating Experience
Paris (AFP) Sep 01, 2005 Drivers of SUVs in Paris are being targeted by a group of activists letting down their tyres because of anger at the disproportionate amount of pollution the big four-wheel drive vehicles produce, the French newspaper Liberation reported Friday. "We don't puncture them, we just let the air out, because that way, legally, we're not risking a lot," it quoted one of the unidentified activists as saying. He said the group, which calls itself the Deflators, decided on its nighttime valve raids because "four-wheel-drive owners know they're polluting twice as much as other vehicles but they don't care, and city authorities are powerless to fight them because of the strength of the automobile lobby." The action came after Paris City Hall, dominated by pro-environment Socialist and Green councillors, did a U-turn on an idea to ban SUVs from the capital's streets after fierce opposition from driving associations, which called it discriminatory. "Our attitude will probably spark hateful reactions. But what we're looking for is a citizen's debate, a dialogue, to remind people that four-wheel-drives in the city are harmful to the environment," the unnamed activist said. The group has promised to make a video of its tyre strikes available on the Internet within the next month with the aim of inspiring the same action in other French cities. Related Links SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express
Mitsubishi, TEPCO To Team Up On Electric Car: Report Tokyo (AFP) Aug 18, 2005 Struggling automaker Mitsubishi Motors will tie up with giant Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) in its bid to create a small environmentally friendly electric car, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported Thursday. |
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |