50 signatures reached
To: Ofcom
Stop TV advertising for new petrol and diesel cars
Stop showing TV ads for new cars, unless they are hybrid or electric
Why is this important?
Adverts for cigarettes were banned on British television in 1965, because it was deemed that smoking was not only bad for the individual, but also other non-smokers who inhaled their smoke passively.
It strikes me that cars are no different. A report in 2013 by the UK government indicated that 21% of UK greenhouse emissions were caused by petrol and diesel cars. However, we are constantly bombarded with adverts on television for new cars, a very small fraction of which are hybrid or electric.
If Ofcom were to only allow hybrid and electric car adverts on television, it would send a signal to car manufacturers that if they want airtime on British TV, they need to invest in more sustainable technology. It would increase sales of hybrid and electric cars in the UK, which would drive demand for more public electric car chargers. It would would help to change the zeitgeist of the nation towards more sustainable ways of commuting.
