A few years ago, an American research company ranked vehicles according to their carbon footprint. To most people’s surprise, the Jeep Wrangler, a gas-guzzling 4x4, came out one of the best. It easily beat the Toyota Prius, which at the time was the darling of eco-warriors and image-conscious Hollywood stars. How come? Because people who bought Wranglers tended to keep them for a long time. The Jeep was solidly built and its classic design barely changed from year to year, so owners saw no need to replace it. Using “dust-to-dust” emissions calculations that account for manufacturing, mining and recycling, as well as fuel consumption, the Wrangler outdid cars that seemed superficially greener.
Fast forward to last weekend, when the actor Rowan Atkinson, star of Mr
