PRESS INFORMATION FROM BINZ UK Differing Shades Of Green Highlighting a funeral home's green credentials can be a key factor when setting out to woo the environmentally-aware consumer. Offering woodland burial options, coffins made from renewable materials, and maintaining a list of eco-aware charities for donations can all help tick the sustainability boxes. But funeral fleets still remain something of a perceptibility problem. Legislation and technology means that every new generation of motor vehicle is now cleaner than the one that preceded it. Showing that you care just that little bit more for the planet could mean becoming an early adopter of emerging alternatives such as bio-fuels, LPG, or even hybrid drives. But if you are not an motor industry outsider, how can you tell what's really green, and what's merely marketing sheen? Take the Lexus GS 450h (05) E-CVT, a luxury saloon which from Vehicle Certification Agency figures emits 186 g/km of CO2. This is a petrol hybrid vehicle with a much vaunted lower emissions level than its competitors. It's sole raison d'etre is its alleged environmental benefits. Yet the Lexus still only seats five people including the driver. Moreover, it pushes out more CO2 than some more traditional vehicles. These include the six door Binz E-220 based limousine which with Mercedes-Benz cleaner diesel engine technology has a quoted figure of 177g/km CO2. Lower in fact, than virtually any other comparable four door vehicle in its sector. The Ford Mondeo may be cleaner in 1.8 Duratorq TDCi (125PS) form at 139g/km, but the Vauxhall Vectra with 180g/km as a 1.9CDTi 16v 150PS model is still pipped to the emissions post by the larger Binz. "The interesting thing is that this emission data is provable with reference to each Binz's EU Certificate of Conformity. It has not just been carried over from the original four-door saloon base vehicle Type Approval test, undertaken on a lighter car, with different gearing and tyre rolling resistances", explains Peter Smith, CEO of Binz UK. "Tailpipe emissions of course are not the only way of measuring impact on the environment. The simplest way of going green is to use less fuel and make it go further - but there are also issues of well to wheel, and whole-life vehicle costs. Each Binz uses a proportion of recycled materials in its new build, and in 15 to 17 years time when its time is done, is pre-engineered to be readily 'deconstructed' so as to facilitate recovery and reuse of materials for use in manufacturing its replacement. You cannot get greener than that!", adds Smith. Ends Image caption: "Binz: going green means considering whole-life environmental costs" More images and further information at: http://www.aardvarkpr.co.uk/downloads.htm Editors contact: Ewan Scott Aardvark Associates tel. 01484 864 520 (mob. 07951 963 433) or 01308 897 911 Company contact: Binz UK tel. 0118 975 8999 Please note that this document is for information only and is non-contractual; both Aardvark Associates and Binz UK - Nilsson Ltd. decline all liability in the case of omissions or errors. PRESS INFORMATION FROM BINZ UK Notes to Editors: Sample UK passenger car CO2 emissions data * Manufacturer/Model Transmission Fuel Type CO2 emissions g/km TOYOTA Prius 1.5 VVT-i Hybrid E-CVT Petrol Hybrid 104 HONDA Civic Hybrid 1.4 IMA ES CVT Petrol Hybrid 109 FORD Focus 1.6 20081/4 Model Year Onwards 1.6 Duratorq TDCi (90PS) 5 Door Saloon (ECO) M5 Diesel 114 VOLKSWAGEN Golf 3 / 5 Door 1.9 TDI E 105PS BLUEMOTION M5 Diesel 119 FORD Mondeo, 20081/4 Model Year Onwards 1.8 Duratorq TDCi (125PS) 4 Door Sedan (ECO) M5 Diesel 139 Volkswagen Passat saloon 1.9 TDI (105 PS) S, SE M5 Diesel 148 FORD Mondeo, 20081/4 Model Year Onwards 1.8 Duratorq TDCi (100PS) Saloon M5 Diesel 149 Vectra, MY2008 4 Door Saloon 1.8i 16v VVT with 16/17/18" wheel M5 Petrol 173 Binz 6 door Mercedes-Benz E-Class E 220 CDI based limousine A6 Diesel 177 ** Vectra, MY2008 4 Door Saloon 1.9CDTi 16v 150PS with 16/17/18" wheel A6 Diesel 184 Lexus GS 450h (05) E-CVT Petrol Hybrid 186 FORD Mondeo, 20081/4 Model Year Onwards 2.0 Duratorq TDCi (140PS) Saloon A6 Diesel 189 BMW 7 Series E65/E66 730d Saloon - with particle filter A6 Diesel 210 Jaguar XJ 2.7 diesel saloon A6 Diesel 214 Audi A6 diesel saloon 3.0 V6 TDI 233ps quattro Tiptronic SE QA6 Diesel 222 Mercedes-Benz S-Class (V221) Limousine S320 L CDI 235 Tyres at rear A7 Diesel 223 LEXUS GS GS300 A6 Petrol 232 Audi A8 diesel saloon 4.2 V8 TDI 326ps quattro LWB Tiptronic Sport with DPF QA6 Diesel 249 *May 2008 Vehicle Data extracted from Vehicle Certification Agency / www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk website ** Binz data from EU Certificate of Conformity statement for Binz Mercedes-Benz E-Class six-door extended chassis limousine Editors contact: Ewan Scott Aardvark Associates tel. 01484 864 520 (mob. 07951 963 433) or 01308 897 911 Company contact: Binz UK tel. 0118 975 8999 Please note that this document is for information only and is non-contractual; both Aardvark Associates and Binz UK - Nilsson Ltd. decline all liability in the case of omissions or errors.