Friday 24 October 2008

Greenwash!

The Guardian newspaper is launching a regular online column, Greenwash, and calls on readers to submit their examples of the fraudulent, mendacious, confusing, ignorant or just daft claims jostling for our attention.

I suppose you could start with a newspaper that solemnly hosts a climate change summit while stuffing its pages with lucrative adverts for 4X4s and cheap flights. And last Saturday’s Weekend magazine had the usual full page rave for a car cynically designed to break the national maximum speed limit.

The new 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine we drive has an impressive, six-speed automatic DSG gearbox and a nannyish optional cruise control that keeps you a safe distance from the car in front.

But, best of all, the new Golf rips along merrily: gear stick into "sport" mode and it powers you with surprising ease up even the steepest Icelandic volcano - should you ever find yourself at the foot of one.

This Golf has a top speed of 120 mph. Yes, the Greenwash-hunting Guardian will happily pimp for death machines, gas guzzlers and cheap air travel while solemnly deploring the state of the environment.