Ad Campaign Slams Detroit, Washington As Gas Mileage Hits 22-Year Low

As U.S. gas mileage hits a 22-year low, the heated debate over America's dependence on Middle East oil returns to the airwaves this week with a provocative new ad campaign challenging both Detroit car companies and Washington policy makers.

1 minute read

May 9, 2003, 10:00 AM PDT

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


"The ads are a joint venture of NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council) and the Detroit Project, an advocacy group co-founded by author and columnist Arianna Huffington. With humor and polish, they turn a glossy car commercial on its head -- showcasing the high-mileage, high-performance cars and trucks Detroit could build today, but won't...The ads hit at a critical juncture in the nation's post-war political agenda. They follow last Friday's news from the Environmental Protection Agency that U.S. fuel economy reached a 22-year low in 2002, and come just as the Senate takes up controversial new energy legislation. The campaign also appears at the same time that American companies are abandoning voluntary fuel-saving pledges."

Thanks to Michael Dudley

Wednesday, May 7, 2003 in Natural Resources Defense Council

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Crowds of people walking and biking along waterfront in Sunset Dunes Park in San Francisco, California on a sunny day.

San Francisco Opens Park on Former Great Highway

The Sunset Dunes park’s grand opening attracted both fans and detractors.

7 hours ago - Mission Local

Portland Oregon Bus

Oregon Legislature to Consider Transit Funding Laws

One proposal would increase the state’s payroll tax by .08% to fund transit agencies and expand service.

April 22 - KATU.com

Houston, Texas skyline.

Housing Vouchers as a Key Piece of Houston’s Housing Strategy

The Houston Housing Authority supports 19,000 households through the housing voucher program.

April 22 - Urban Edge