Michelin wants to paint the sky to show how much CO2 they save

Michelin is proud of its line of low-resistance rolling tires (mostly sold under the Energy Saving brand) which have been available since 1992. The French company is launching a campaign in four cities around the world where big scoreboards will refresh every second showing the claimed amount of CO2 these tires have saved to the atmosphere since launching. The Hotel Park Inn and the Suffren embankment in New York, the Eiffel tower in Paris and the City Group Mansion in Shanghai are the selected locations (Berlin is also in the list but Michelin doesn't say where they will place the board there).

The 570 million tires sold are claimed to have saved 22 million CO2 tons (equivalent to 880 million trees per year) and 9 billion liters of fuel. If you want smaller figures, that means 43.9 liters of fuel and 109.14 kg of CO2 per second.

Full press release after the jump.

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[Source: Michelin]

Michelin's 'Green' Meters Paint The Sky With Global Fuel Efficiency Story

Each second, around the world, Michelin green energy saving tires help reduce fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions

Beginning today, Michelin will project meters in four major cities around the world -- Berlin, New York City, Paris and Shanghai. These meters will show the fuel savings and reductions in CO2 emissions since 1992-when this revolutionary technology was first introduced- thanks to Michelin green energy saving tires.

Michelin green energy saving tires include a variety of passenger car, light truck and commercial truck tires that are optimized for fuel economy by reducing their rolling resistance and weight without compromising other key performance factors such as traction, grip and tread wear. Reducing rolling resistance also reduces CO2 emissions.

Featuring the world-famous Michelin Man, the meters will be projected at 7 p.m. local time on the facade of the Park Inn Hotel in Berlin; on the NASDAQ and Reuters boards in Times Square, New York City; in the Port de Suffren at the foot of the Eiffel Tower in Paris; and on the City Group Mansion tower, across from the Bund, in Shanghai.

In 15 years, compared to conventional tires on the road, the 570 million Michelin green energy saving tires sold worldwide have reduced fuel consumption by an estimated 2.38 billion gallons, resulting in a reduction of CO2 emissions of 25 million tons, the equivalent of the amount absorbed by 880 million trees in one year. This means that each second 11.6 gallons of fuel are saved and 240.6 pounds of CO2 are not released into the atmosphere. These figures will be on display to millions of people around the world. Full details of the Michelin Green Meter are available at www.michelin-green-meter.com.

As a responsible citizen, Michelin seeks to build awareness among people around the world of the contribution that Michelin green energy saving tires can make to the environment.

That's because choosing the right tire can have a significant impact on the environment. This is especially important today when experts agree that road transport is a major source of CO2 emissions, one of the greenhouse gases responsible for global warming.

Fully aware of this challenge, Michelin, which allocates nearly 4 percent of its annual net sales to research and development, has made the design of green energy saving tires a key component of its innovation strategy. So that consumers may integrate "green" criteria into their choice of tires, Michelin is highlighting the impact of tire choice on fuel consumption and on the environment. For Michelin, this initiative truly represents "a better way forward."

Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks, motorcycles and the space shuttle. The company also publishes travel guides, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America employs more than 22,500 and operates 19 major manufacturing plants in 17 locations.