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Greens Call Toyota a Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

October 24, 2005
Blue Water Network, a nonprofit organization that fights for clean air and water is throwing mud at Toyota’s image as the environmental leader in the auto industry. In an online and newspaper advertising campaign, Blue Water Network suggests Toyota is a wolf in sheep’s clothing as far as the environment is concerned.

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The group charges that while Toyota takes one step forward toward a clean future with the Prius “the company quietly takes three steps back into business as usual with gas guzzling hybrid vehicles that don’t get better fuel mileage than their non-hybrid versions.”

Blue Water, based in San Francisco, says the hybrid version of the Highlander along with the Lexus RX 400h are not much better than conventionally powered vehicles.

On its website, the group says that it will be “criticizing Toyota’s anti-environmental policies. Toyota's lobbying and litigation run opposite to the company's carefully cultivated green image.”

Blue Water asks its readers to “send a message to Toyota today and tell them to end their opposition to U.S. laws that would help protect the planet and reduce oil dependence!”

The group points out in the campaign that Toyota joined a group of automakers suing to overturn California’s new regulations to reduce smog and global warming pollution from vehicles.

A Toyota spokesperson says that the company is disappointed and surprised by the advertising campaign.

Last year, the environmental group sponsored an advertising campaign attacking Ford Motor Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Office Bill Ford as a Pinocchio who misled consumers about the company’s environmental record.

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