Launch of UK’s First Environmental Health Check for Cars

13 February 2007
targetneutral and Kwik-Fit team up to promote greener driving
A FREE environmental health check for petrol cars has been launched this month.

targetneutral, the UK’s first mainstream scheme to “neutralise” CO2 emissions caused by driving, has teamed up with automotive experts Kwik-Fit to create the environmental ‘car surgeries’ – a first in Britain.

targetneutral is a voluntary, non-profit making partnership initiative from BP.

As well as offering the opportunity for petrol motorists to offset CO2 emissions from their cars, the targetneutral scheme encourages drivers to follow the Reduce, Replace, Neutralise philosophy.

Drivers of petrol cars wanting to help ensure that their car is causing the minimum amount of impact can now take action with this 10 minute, totally free check with no obligations (other than to the environment). Petrol car drivers simply need to call-in to any Kwik-Fit MOT centre. Most checks can be performed while you wait, 7 days a week. To find your nearest testing centre, go to targetneutral.com.

The Green Light check for petrol cars which will be available at 250 Kwik-Fit MOT centres nationwide until March 3rd 2007, will help drivers to reduce their cars’ emissions through a free four-point ‘Green Light’ health check.
The free four-point check includes:

* exhaust emissions – an increase in carbon monoxide in your exhaust emissions can indicate inefficient fuel burning which results in greater fuel usage, therefore increasing overall CO2 emissions
* emission control systems – sending too much fuel to the combustion chamber?
* tyre pressure – under inflated tyres increase rolling resistance and fuel consumption and therefore increase CO2 emissions
* battery levels – under-charged batteries use more fuel, increasing CO2 emissions

Motorists can then visit targetneutral.com to access a free online carbon calculator which will work out the amount of CO2 their driving actually produces. If they wish, they can then neutralise the impact their driving has on the environment. The average annual cost is just £20 a year.

Sheila Williams, spokesperson for targetneutral, said: “This nationwide scheme gives motorists easy access to practical environmental car health advice and helps them understand how small adjustments to their cars can have a big impact on reducing their CO2 emissions.”

Chris Bosworth, Marketing Director for Kwik-Fit said: “The ‘Green Light’ environmental health check is an initiative between targetneutral and Kwik-Fit to enable motorists to take individual action to drive more efficiently and reduce emissions. We hope motorists across the country will give their cars the ‘Green Light’ this month"

Under the targetneutral scheme motorists can offset their carbon emissions by visiting targetneutral.com.

Money generated by targetneutral goes towards a portfolio of independent CO2 reduction projects including alternative and renewable energy.

Existing projects include a biomass energy plant in Himachal Pradesh, a wind farm in Karnataka, India and an animal waste management and methane capture program in Mexico. As targetneutral grows, more projects will be added.
Editor’s Notes

targetneutral
targetneutral is a voluntary, non-profit making partnership initiative from BP. It was developed in consultation with leading NGOs and is advised and monitored by an independent Advisory and Assurance Panel chaired by Jonathon Porritt, Founder Director of Forum for the Future.

How do motorists sign up?

1. log on to targetneutral.com
2. follow a simple procedure that helps calculate the number of litres of fuel used each year and the CO2 emissions generated
3. the targetneutral.com ‘calculator’ then determines the financial contribution needed to buy the CO2 reduction to neutralise these emissions
4. in addition, by registering their Nectar card, they trigger a BP contribution every time they use their card when buying fuel at a BP forecourt

Environmental Health Check, Terms and Conditions
Tests will be performed until 3 March 2007 at Kwik-Fit MOT centres displaying the promotional materials. Tests will only be performed on petrol vehicles of retail customers. Tests do not require any prior appointment and will be conducted on a ’drop-in’ basis. The results of tests are for informational purposes only and do not constitute recommendations for mechanical work to be performed on the vehicle. In exceptional circumstances, Kwik-Fit reserves the right not to perform tests on certain vehicles (for example, vehicles used for commercial purposes, or vehicles which have been modified by their owner).

Kwik-Fit
Kwik-Fit’s 250 MOT centres and technicians are VOSA approved and use the latest available diagnostic equipment. Kwik-Fit is open 7 days a week: Monday to Friday 8.30am – 6pm, Saturday 8.30am-5pm, Sunday 10am-4pm. Please call 0800 222111 for your nearest centre or visit targetneutral.com

Electronic press kit available at:
http://www.launchgroup.co.uk/epk/targetneutral

Contact Information

Alex Eeles

LAUNCH GROUP

Contact via E-mail