Honda win prestigious environment award

Honda launched their unique 2007 car livery - featuring a satellite image of the earth and without any sponsors decals - under the message of "My Earth Dream", geared at raising awareness for environment issues.

The Green Awards were launched in 2006 with the backing of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as a means to "recognise outstanding creative work ... for brands promoting anything from fair trade and renewable energy to resource efficiency and waste awareness."

The Honda team picked up the top 2007 award, aptly named the Green Awards Grand Prix, which rewards the campaign that the expert judging panel believes has had the greatest capacity to raise awareness amongst the general public.

Honda's win caused some controversy, however, given the fact that Formula One is not considered an environmentally-friendly sport.

"Neither the Green awards judges, nor Honda themselves, are attempting to claim that F1 is a 'green' sport," the organisation stated. "Indeed, the campaign itself caused some controversy, a point noted by the judges in their assessment."

But in explaining the judges' choice, Eric Falt of UNEP, chair of the judging panel, stated Honda's campaign "was the most creative all round, with a multiplicity of messages. It was an imaginative response which really got people thinking, and had many reappraise their relationship with F1."

The judges also said that Honda are "operating in a difficult market and the resulting controversy was seen as a positive function of such an awareness raising exercise.

"If one percent of fans who follow F1 were to switch to energy saving light bulbs ... the resulting energy savings would mitigate the emissions produced over three seasons by Honda's racing team."

The Green Awards Grand Prix was presented to Honda at a gala event in London on Friday evening.