Greenwash Watch: Michelin: Worst. Greenwashing Site. Ever
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07.27.07
The words "eco tire" attracted us- what could it be? It's Michelin marketing "energysaver construction(TM) "a combination of unique rubber compounds and tire architecture [that] helps reduce energy consumption (in the form of heat). It invited us to explore "a greener world," a stunning website extolling a vision of a bucolic, high tech future where all will be fine if we "use the dishwasher and washing machine only with full loads because it's more efficient." and other useful tips relevant to tires. Spectacular animations done probably at great cost, utterly devoid of any useful content whatsoever.
Nowhere on the entire site do they quantify how much energy the eco-tire saves, nor do they list a single environmental measure that they have done of any significance (other than build a hydrogen powered car in 2004).
One supposes that as a manufacturer of a product made from petrochemicals to be mounted on automobiles, there is not a lot they can say and can only wrap themselves in imagery.
However I have never seen a company spend so much to say so little. ::Michelin Green Follow the "come explore" link and for more virtual fun, the "better way forward"
While the site you're referring to might be junk --and while I woudn't ever EVER want to appear to come to the defence of a tire manufacturer -- Michelin is "better" from an eco-standpoint than maybe all other tire manufacturers. If you haven't heard of the Challenge Bibendum, you should check it out.
Maybe you will find this site more to your liking:
http://www.challengebibendum.com
I still say GE takes the cake with green washing, they have "clean coal" ads on this website. I dont think a campaign could get any worse than advertizing coal on tree hugger. But then agian tree hugger took the money.
so ... is it recycled rubber or something?
Tire design can really make a lot of fuel savings, and Michelin is tops in this area. We should give them a little benefit of the doubt, because no doubt they are serious about it. Witness the fact that Michelin and other manufacturers have extended tire life 100-200% in this generation. That's a lot of saved resources!
The "clean" coal ads on TH bug me too...
OK. Exactly what qualified the author to make the condemnation to the reviewed website to be the worst greenwash, ever? "Never seen" is hardly a quantitative qualifying statement. Maybe he's never seen any other greenwashed website. Seems to me this "prefab homes" builder (from his profile) also comes with prefab opinions. I would love to speculate on his motives for this article, but I'm no prefab guy, ya know?
Sorry to say rubber doesn't do it for me nor does the little techno-Michelin dude)- I live in Thailand and spend much of my life watching rainforest clear cut to plant thousands of rubber trees- if you travel by bike (and public transport) you will inevitably use alot less rubber and alot less fuel.
Mr. Anonymous - a wee bit harsh- I understand your comment about clean coal post but I'm afraid as oil and natural gas resources decline, coal will very probably increase it's proportion of global energy production (I think it's represents around 30% at the moment), carbon capture technology is a long way off but it's a valid topic for Treehugger as far as i'm concerned