Cars are the second biggest cause of global warming, but for many of us it is not practical to live without a car. According to a new survey by The Co-operative Insurance Eden Sexy Green Car Show it seems that drivers in London are unconcerned when it comes to reducing their carbon footprint.

The research asked 1,000 UK car owners their views on their cars, insurance and travel habits to determine if drivers are taking steps to reduce their carbon footprints or are carrying on regardless.

Disappointingly, nearly half (43 per cent) of drivers in London would not buy a car with a smaller engine to reduce their carbon footprint with more women (63 per cent) than men opting for a greener drive (54 per cent). Welsh drivers lead the way in wanting to reduce their carbon footprint with almost one in seven (68 per cent) looking for a vehicle with a smaller engine.

More encouragingly, over two thirds (67 per cent) of motorists in London aged between 25-34 are more conscious when it comes to greener driving', with five in ten (51 per cent) younger motorists under the age of 24 surprisingly unconcerned about their carbon footprint.

Best environmentally friendly motorists Worst environmentally friendly motorists 1. Wales 1. Northern Ireland 2. East Anglia 2. Scotland 3. South West 3. North West 4. Midlands 4. London 5. Yorkshire 5. South East 6. North East The poll also revealed that the average motorist in London will fill up their petrol tank a little less than once a week (43 times per year) with men using more petrol than women, filling up 46 times a year as opposed to 41 times for women. The young are by far the biggest gas-guzzlers with 16-24 year olds filling up an average of 70 times a year, which is one and a half times the national average!

David Neave, Director of General Insurance at The Co-operative Insurance said: "The Co-operative Insurance is a firm believer that every person - male and female - can make a tiny difference' to climate change. There is now firm evidence that suggests motor vehicle emissions are having a detrimental impact on the environment. The combination of more greener' cars being manufactured and the wider development of unique eco motor insurance products like our own, allows drivers to do just that."

In order to encourage even more people to adopt a green driving' ethos The Co-operative Insurance has teamed up with the Eden Project to stage the Sexy Green Car Show. The aim is to give motorists who want to go green' a better understanding of Government schemes such as the new fridge-type efficiency labels on cars, tax bands on emissions and variable congestion charges.

The Co-operative Insurance Eden Sexy Green Car Show is now in its second year and 2008 will see more vehicles on display, testing their green credentials at what is normally a car-free zone. Among other major manufacturers showing off their latest low-emission cars will be Citroen, Honda, Peugeot, Saab, Fiat and Volkswagen.

For more information on visiting this year's The Co-operative Insurance Eden Sexy Green Car Show, which will run from May 23-31 at the home of the world's biggest plant Biomes, Eden, near St Austell in Cornwall go to www.edenproject.com or call 01726 811 911.

11:04am Friday 16th May 2008

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