Wellington, Friday 27 March 2009

MoreFM and parent company Mediaworks are being slammed for blatant hypocrisy over their promotion of Earth Hour.

“This is the worst kind of corporate greenwashing”, said Wellington resident Kent Duston. “MoreFM are pulling out all the stops to promote Earth Hour, yet they are running their activities from the back of their corporate SUVs!”

The vehicles used by MoreFM for their promotional activities are Ford Explorer SUVs. These immense 2.5 tonne 4WDs are amongst the most polluting and least fuel efficient of any vehicle in the New Zealand market. According to official figures, they use 15.4 litres per 100km and pump out a massive 354 grams per kilometre of CO2. (Source: www.rightcar.govt.nz)

This is 70% worse than the average in New Zealand, according to official government figures. 

“It’s hard to see how MoreFM could be any more environmentally destructive in their choice of transport, short of buying a Hummer”, said Mr Duston. “They are promoting the idea that New Zealanders should switch off their lights for an hour to reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, yet they are acting as though climate change is irrelevant to their company. The very definition of hypocrisy is to say one thing and do another – which perfectly fits MoreFM’s actions.”

“The sight of one of these MoreFM mobile dinosaurs towing an Earth Hour billboard around town emphasises that the radio station does not understand the meaning of the words ‘environmental responsibility’” said Mr Duston.

If Wellingtonians switch off their lights and appliances for Earth Hour they will save around 400 grams of CO2. Yet every kilometre MoreFM drive their SUVs, some 354 grams of CO2 is being spewed back into the atmosphere.

Mr Duston is calling on MoreFM to put its money where its mouth is by immediately retiring its gas-guzzling fleet as a symbol of its corporate commitment to Earth Day.

ENDS

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