Is Greenpeace losing the plot?

Apart from buying property abroad and driving my Mercedes-Benz all over the place, I still keep a keen eye on the news over the internet.

Okay so I have not blogged for most of the summer, but that's cos I woz watchin' Big Brother. And from what I have read on-line, not many others were blogging anything of real interest.

Talking of Big Brother - there is an increasingly growing campaign against the car-driving individual with loud calls for government to punish motorists not just through their pockets, but to restrict their movement as well. It seems owners of off-roaders, Chelsea Tractors, Death Machines - whatever your name for them - they are all getting a bad press. The Alliance Against Urban 4x4s have an interesting website with quotes from Mayor Ken Livingstone "When you see someone trying to maneuver it round the school gates, you have to think, you are a complete idiot."
...and Jeremy Clarkson (the king of drivers doing it badly) "I do have to say that the drivers of these things in cities must be clinically insane." Maybe it is time to think again?

I support the polluter pays - and those who drive a lot, do pay through the excessive tax on petrol and diesel. In the Netherlands campaigners are demanding City & Town Councils deny vehicles over a certain weight and size permission to park in public car parks or along shopping streets.

Greenpeace is one of my favourites organisations. I used to be a subscribing member, and was very proud of their campaigns to halt the explosion of Nuclear (that wasn't meant to be a pun). But Greenpeace have stepped up their campaign against the motorist. I often feel a tinge of guilt when they moan about big-badge cars (although my Merc is only a baby A Class). Me thinks they have gone too too far over the top this time.

Is Greenpeace losing the plot?

They have a new video promo which has not received very much positive publicity. It's an attempt to encourage people not to drive 4x4s. I think there are many ways to push this argument... and the excessively polluting the environment argument through wasted fuel consumption is the best route.

In reality this video campaign is an offensive load of tosh. And if anything, could encourage school-playground bulling of kids who's Mums drop them off at school in a 4x4. Most adults would I hope not revert to this sort of nonsense bullying. There has to be a more effective way of pursuading people to change their lifestyles.

Detention then for the media girls and boys at Greenpeace?

Now, has anybody seen my cup of tea?