Honda Formula One Green 'Earth' Car

[StuartDH]

Honda have just launched a formula one 'Earth' car for the next season that is covered in a map of the world, instead of the usual advertising, to raise awareness of climate change.

With an audience of 600 million people, it should hopefully be a good way of getting the climate change message to many people around the world.

As always, it's easy to be negative and pick on the double standards of racing cars whilst trying the save the planet, but I think this has still got to another step in the right direction.

Stu

HondaRacingF1.com - news section - All news

[glsammy]

I'd heard a rumour they were going to do this, they've actually done it then! The cynical will say it's because they can't find any new sponsors, but who cares, it's a novel idea and can't do any harm. F1 is one of my passions, so beware being too critical of 'em!!

[Gill Catton]

Always better to do something than nothing I reckon

[FourwingsJNR]

Heard they were going to do this but wern't shore if it was a good idea but it sounds all right now i hope it catches on and more are made

[James_Owen]

At best it's a bit of a mixed message though, do as I say, not as I do and all that, precisely the sort of stuff that turns ordinary people off making an effort.

[glsammy]

I've just found this link: CNW Group

The idea is people can log onto a web site, that is being launched today. Here's part of the statment:

"Via the website myearthdream.com | coming soon, anyone who wishes will have the
opportunity to have their name on the car, make a pledge for a lifestyle
change to improve the environment, and make a donation to an environmental
charity. Under the concept of "our car is your car," each name will form a
tiny individual pixel which will help build the image of planet earth on the
car. Each name will be visible on the website when a pledge is made and will
be visible on the car with a microscope."

So you can have your name on a Honda F1. It'll be interesting to see how much they ask you to donate.

[Kymba]

They will probably ask you to donate more then the average person/family can afford as with most of these sort of things.

I quite like the idea and it is a good way to make more people around the world aware of the problem, BUT!! Its really Hypercritical with the amount these cars pump into the atmosphere during each lap they do. Would be better if they made all their cars more Ego Friendly first..
"practise What You Preach" springs to mind!

[glsammy]

Without F1 many of today's car advances we all enjoy simply wouldn't have happened, including engine efficiency.
They're to introduce a form of energy recovery, which could lead to cars with far more efficient fuel systems, more MPG and hence burn less fuel and produce less emissions, so it's not all doom and gloom.
Beside which, it's one of my favourite spectator activities, and brings a lot of pleasure to millions, well, at least 1 anyway!

[Dan Salter]

Formula 1 always has been my one and only sport i follow ...So i have to say yay for honda!

I also do a spot of fishing and vegetable gardening?....im so sporty !

oh and mountain biking which is legit i guess....walking?.hmmmm

[Ben!]

Originally Posted by StuartDH

Honda have just launched a formula one 'Earth' car for the next season that is covered in a map of the world, instead of the usual advertising, to raise awareness of climate change.

With an audience of 600 million people, it should hopefully be a good way of getting the climate change message to many people around the world.

As always, it's easy to be negative and pick on the double standards of racing cars whilst trying the save the planet, but I think this has still got to another step in the right direction.

Stu

HondaRacingF1.com - news section - All news

Very true, this could turn out to be so much more effective than people think, this could be a big step up for saving our planet.

[derekimo]

Hi, I'm a newbie with a lurking tendency; since I'm interested in both F1, particularly the technical bits, and wildlife, particularly environmental matters, I thought I might make a contribution. I work on the principle that if I am interested everyone must be.

I thought it would be interesting to look at how much fuel F1 cars actually use. They do about 4mpg and a race is 200 miles with a similar distance in practise. So they use a convenient 100 gallons. There are 22 of them and so each race weekend, of which there are 18, they use 2200 gallons. And again conveniently 2200 gallons is 10 000 litres. I love it when the numbers are easy.

That's about the amount of fuel used by 100 average cars in the UK each year or 1800 for all the races which is about 0.01% of the cars using our roads.

It's also the amount of fuel used by a Jumbo every 40 Minutes (15 000 litres an hour). And to make a point the 10 000 litres used in an F1 race weekend is about the personal consumption of a family of 4 taking a Jumbo down to New Zealand for a spot of whale watching.

Which would make the whale watchers and car racers about even on carbon footprint were it not that the people who run F1, the FIA, have been carbon offsetting since 1997. Here's an article that mentions it, autosport.com - F1 News: F1 already 'carbon neutral' since 1997, and here's a link to a paper that describes how the offsetting works http://www.frp.uk.com/dissemination_..._Scolel_Te.pdf .

It just goes to show that you never can tell what the situation really is on environmental impact. But I do think it is a good thing that Honda's initiative, whatever their motivation, will put environmental concerns in front of 500m people every other weekend this summer.

[Jon]

Originally Posted by derekimo

Hi, I'm a newbie with a lurking tendency; since I'm interested in both F1, particularly the technical bits, and wildlife, particularly environmental matters, I thought I might make a contribution. I work on the principle that if I am interested everyone must be.

I thought it would be interesting to look at how much fuel F1 cars actually use. They do about 4mpg and a race is 200 miles with a similar distance in practise. So they use a convenient 100 gallons. There are 22 of them and so each race weekend, of which there are 18, they use 2200 gallons. And again conveniently 2200 gallons is 10 000 litres. I love it when the numbers are easy.

That's about the amount of fuel used by 100 average cars in the UK each year or 1800 for all the races which is about 0.01% of the cars using our roads.

It's also the amount of fuel used by a Jumbo every 40 Minutes (15 000 litres an hour). And to make a point the 10 000 litres used in an F1 race weekend is about the personal consumption of a family of 4 taking a Jumbo down to New Zealand for a spot of whale watching.

Which would make the whale watchers and car racers about even on carbon footprint were it not that the people who run F1, the FIA, have been carbon offsetting since 1997. Here's an article that mentions it, autosport.com - F1 News: F1 already 'carbon neutral' since 1997, and here's a link to a paper that describes how the offsetting works http://www.frp.uk.com/dissemination_..._Scolel_Te.pdf .

It just goes to show that you never can tell what the situation really is on environmental impact. But I do think it is a good thing that Honda's initiative, whatever their motivation, will put environmental concerns in front of 500m people every other weekend this summer.

Well that's it. That's made my mind up, I will put plans for the new car and aeroplane on hold and just make do with what I have got. Jon

[glsammy]

As for the cynics amongst you who think the cost of having your name on the car will be too high, it's not, it's whatever you decide to donate. All proceeds will go to environmental projects. You'll need a magnifying glass to see it, but I thinks it's a great idea. You also make a pledge in some other way, i.e. fit more energy efficient light bulbs, make less long distance flights, that kind of thing, even do less ironing will do!

[Ben!]

There's only one light bulb in my house that isn't energy efficient, if everyone did this it would make a big effect on saving energy.

[Paul mabbott]

I disagree on several points! I don't see, to start with, how driving a car can be a sport. It's just a high octane way of advertising, grossly polluting and encourages half-wits to drive badly and inefficiently (I spend a lot of time around both Silverstone and Brands Hatch so have firsthand evidence of the boy racers in those areas )
If these companies are seriously into reducing pollution then they would be better off *not* participating in racing but putting big adverts in programmes or whatever pointing out how harmful this acticity is ....
I would welcome any improvement in car energy-efficiency (and it does happen, I suspect it will be the Japanese that produce the most energy-efficient cars eventually) but cannot take all this rubbish that racing is a way to improve motoring for the 'common man'! Sheer hypocrisy ....

Originally Posted by glsammy

I'd heard a rumour they were going to do this, they've actually done it then! The cynical will say it's because they can't find any new sponsors, but who cares, it's a novel idea and can't do any harm. F1 is one of my passions, so beware being too critical of 'em!!

[Paul mabbott]

You've demonstrated nicely that car racing and jumbo jets are both extremely wasteful. They're both also totally unnecessary so let's give them up! Thanks.

Originally Posted by derekimo

Hi, I'm a newbie with a lurking tendency; since I'm interested in both F1, particularly the technical bits, and wildlife, particularly environmental matters, I thought I might make a contribution. I work on the principle that if I am interested everyone must be.

I thought it would be interesting to look at how much fuel F1 cars actually use. They do about 4mpg and a race is 200 miles with a similar distance in practise. So they use a convenient 100 gallons. There are 22 of them and so each race weekend, of which there are 18, they use 2200 gallons. And again conveniently 2200 gallons is 10 000 litres. I love it when the numbers are easy.

That's about the amount of fuel used by 100 average cars in the UK each year or 1800 for all the races which is about 0.01% of the cars using our roads.

It's also the amount of fuel used by a Jumbo every 40 Minutes (15 000 litres an hour). And to make a point the 10 000 litres used in an F1 race weekend is about the personal consumption of a family of 4 taking a Jumbo down to New Zealand for a spot of whale watching.

Which would make the whale watchers and car racers about even on carbon footprint were it not that the people who run F1, the FIA, have been carbon offsetting since 1997. Here's an article that mentions it, autosport.com - F1 News: F1 already 'carbon neutral' since 1997, and here's a link to a paper that describes how the offsetting works http://www.frp.uk.com/dissemination_..._Scolel_Te.pdf .

It just goes to show that you never can tell what the situation really is on environmental impact. But I do think it is a good thing that Honda's initiative, whatever their motivation, will put environmental concerns in front of 500m people every other weekend this summer.

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

I disagree on several points! I don't see, to start with, how driving a car can be a sport. It's just a high octane way of advertising, grossly polluting and encourages half-wits to drive badly and inefficiently (I spend a lot of time around both Silverstone and Brands Hatch so have firsthand evidence of the boy racers in those areas )
If these companies are seriously into reducing pollution then they would be better off *not* participating in racing but putting big adverts in programmes or whatever pointing out how harmful this acticity is ....
I would welcome any improvement in car energy-efficiency (and it does happen, I suspect it will be the Japanese that produce the most energy-efficient cars eventually) but cannot take all this rubbish that racing is a way to improve motoring for the 'common man'! Sheer hypocrisy ....

If everyone had this type of attitude, then nothing will ever change for the good. I can't agree with this kind of negative mentality that slates and pull down every initiative taken by anyone.

[Paul mabbott]

The 'negative mentality' lays with the petrolheads who will believe everything except the facts! The only 'change for the good' would be if those in the car industry gave up the speed factor and got down to energy-efficiency. Not likely, I know because fast cars have sunk into the macho psyche .....

Originally Posted by glsammy

If everyone had this type of attitude, then nothing will ever change for the good. I can't agree with this kind of negative mentality that slates and pull down every initiative taken by anyone.

[Blackdog]

How nice to see that an interesting thread has maintained an air of dignity

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by Blackdog

How nice to see that an interesting thread has maintained an air of dignity

I shouldn't have responded in the way I did to Pauls post, I apologise. I should have dealt with it in the way it deserved, by ignoring it.
I'm not going to comment further, as if I said what I really felt, the site would be taken down, me with it!

[Blackdog]

Originally Posted by glsammy

I shouldn't have responded in the way I did to Pauls post, I apologise. I should have dealt with it in the way it deserved, by ignoring it.
I'm not going to comment further, as if I said what I really felt, the site would be taken down, me with it!

See my PM Graham.

Rgds

Warren