Toyota is an industry leader when it comes to innovation and environmentally friendly vehicles. A leader in the hybrid car segment with the Prius and Camry, Toyota is committed to a greener tomorrow. The 2016 Mirai is a testament to this statement. The zero emissions vehicle is powered by hydrogen fuel cells, fills in about 5 minutes and can go approximately 300 miles on just one take of fuel!
Toyota’s sustainability program took center stage in Broccoli City Fest, which is an Earth Day Celebration. They also hosted celebrations for Earth Day in New York and Los Angeles. Toyota has earned Energy Star’s 11th consecutive Partner of The Year Sustained Excellence Award from the U.S. EPA. They have done this by protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency. Eleven awards from the agency is the most awarded to any automaker in the world.
How did Toyota earn this award? By little steps like reducing total energy by 35 percent per vehicle produced, which amounts to 14 billion kilowatt hours of energy. That amount of power is enough to power Chicago for almost an ENTIRE year! They also reduced CO2 emissions by 40 percent per vehicle produced by eliminating the use of electricity and natural gas when avoidable.
Plants around the world have taken little steps to achieve these environmental goals. The Huntsville, Alabama plant installed LED lighting, solar lights, and day lighting to reduce purchased electricity. Princeton, Indiana reduced the volume of air that has to be conditioned in the paint booth. Georgetown, Kentucky plant teamed up with Waste Services to generate power from local landfill waste that naturally creates methane gas. The Blue Springs Mississippi plant installed a single axis solar cell array that has a maximum output of 50 kilowatt hours per year. Finally, the plant in San Antonio, Texas uses about 1 million gallons of recycled water per production day.
These are just a preview of what the Toyota plants and Toyota Corporation have done to make the planet more eco-friendly and environmentally sound. Toyota continues to strive for excellence and be an innovator and leader in the automotive industry. They hope other automakers will follow suit to keep our planet green and safe for our children and generations to come.