Renault's environmental credentials further enhanced by participation in Eden Project scheme

West Country gardeners were offered the opportunity to enter a televised competition to design and build a front eco-friendly garden within The Eden Project, which needed to be suitable for a busy family as well as incorporate a small car to demonstrate the practicality and flexibility of a creative space.

As Renault is one of Europe's three most CO efficient manufacturers, having always held the environment as a priority in its strategy, it was the natural choice to provide one of the vehicles for the competition.

Renault provided its ever-popular supermini, Clio Dynamique dCi 86, a Renault eco vehicle which emits just 117 g/km of CO and offers an impressive combined MPG of 64.2.

Renault has a wide range of eco vehicles, with 93 models emitting 140 g/km or less, and 31 emitting 120 g/km or less.

A Renault eco vehicle meets three strict environmental criteria covering the whole life cycle:

* Manufacturing - vehicles must be manufactured at plants certified to ISO 14001, which certifies a plant's approach to environmental progress. Since 1996, Renault has reduced its energy consumption by 25%, its water consumption by 57%, waste by 65%, volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions by 38%, and water-borne toxic discharge by 44%. In 2006, 39 industrial sites, covering over 90% of Renault operations worldwide, were certified to ISO 14001. In 2008, all Renault's factories are certified ISO 14001.

* Emissions - vehicles must have CO emissions of 140 g/km or less, or biofuel-compatible (ethanol E85 or biodiesel B30).

* End of life/ Recycling - vehicles are 95% recoverable at the end-of-life and at least 5% of plastics used in new vehicles are made from recycled materials.

Credits: JRC