Environmental issues are at the forefront of many politicians' agendas at the moment, so it is perhaps little surprise that car manufacturers are keen to follow suit.
With the mass uptake of the electric vehicle not too far away, it is apparent that companies are keen to capture the imagination of the environmentally-aware public.
One such firm is Volkwagen, which has launched a brand new campaign aimed at encouraging people to be conscious of their surroundings when they take to the road.
Its campaign, entitled Think Blue, aims to inspire sustainable motoring, while building on the success of its BlueMotion technology.
The systems were developed with the intention of reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, allowing customers to save money in the process.
Volkswagen has used the BlueMotion badge to indicate which cars are the most environmentally-sound for some time, although it has strived to improve on its existing models.
The new Golf BlueMotion, for example, helps drivers cut down on the amount of road tax people are required to pay due to its CO2 emissions of just 107g/kg.
This means a motorist would be required to pay £35 a year, compared to more than £400 for the higher polluting models.
Car insurance premiums are also likely to be reduced on low emission vehicles.
One of its most innovative features is its automatic start/stop technology, which helps reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
It kicks into action when driving through urban areas or when waiting in queues at traffic lights, for example, as the car practically starts and stops the engine off its own accord.
The system operates through the clutch, so when a car stops and the neutral gear is selected, the engine is halted when the pedal is released.
However, it would appear that Volkswagen has acknowledged that buying a car with all these eco-credentials may not be enough when it comes to combating the effects of climate change.
"Our goal is to establish 'Think Blue' as an expression of our corporate mindset and a firm feature of the Volkswagen brand's ecologically sustainable activities," explained Luca de Meo, head of marketing at the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand.
The brand could well be timing its new marketing strategy right, as a recent poll conducted by fast.MAP on behalf of Automotive PR suggests that people are ready to go green.
Of the 1,000 motorists questioned, 54 per cent said they were either concerned or very concerned about global warming in particular.
Meanwhile, 62 per cent said they could see themselves behind the wheel of an electric or hybrid vehicle some time in the future.
The Think Blue campaign has been designed so it is relevant to everyone in an attempt to get the world thinking about their driving habits.
Mr de Meo continued: "We have deliberately chosen an international slogan because environmental protection knows no national boundaries.
"The campaign is in line with the Volkswagen brand values: innovative, valuable and responsible."
Volkswagen is one of many firms to be looking into how it can encourage the country to think green; after all, technology can only go so far in preventing carbon emissions.
By making people see the impact they are having on the environment simply by driving to the shops at the end of the road or making other unnecessary journeys, habits may start to change.
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not those of the BGL Group