Question: identify the document, which will this week call for an end to the "hedonistic treadmill where individuals can never be satisfied"?
No, it is not the follow up statement from the organisers of Heathrow's Climate Camp, it is the policy document due to be released by the Tory party's quality of life 'green' group.
I came across this astonishing (and very welcome) bit of news moments after looking through the Philip's Green Road Atlas.
Yes, you read that correctly - a "green" road atlas.
Last week I received a very enjoyable press release touting this book which would "guide the motorist on 'how to be a greener driver'", made, of course, from biodegradable paper (isn't all paper biodegradable?).
I sent off for it, imagining a good laugh at its expense, but instead I have to admit that as a car driver who is trying to be greener, I am quite impressed.
The 'green section' is by the Environmental Travel Association, the car insurance company which came up with National Car Free day - now called In town without my car (Sept 22 in case you'd forgotten): there aren't many motoring organisations who'll state that "the best thing for the environment would be the total elimination of petrol-based vehicles, or better still of road transport altogether".
The section lists petrol alternatives, describes how to modify your driving style to drive more greenly, presents the facts about our petrol habit and states in big green letters "Don't drive if you can help it!"
There is also an overview of road transport in 2007, investigating the envrionmental and public health impact of road use.
But all in all the green road atlas still leaves me depressed. Because here we have a car insurance company and leading map publisher offering radical suggestions, at the same time as a Tory party making radical, deeply pleasing observations that the Government's road-building programme is "stupid" and "flawed".
Any minute now Jeremy Clarkson will be seen in a G-wiz. And meanwhile our Labour government appears to love nothing more than bright shiny new airports and bigger roads and glittering nuclear and coal power stations. What will it take to get through to these people?
