Toyota facilities take action to protect wildlife
Toyota Logistics Services Vehicle Distribution Center in Portland, Oregon, has received Salmon-Safe certification from Salmon-Safe, Inc. The designation is based on a comprehensive assessment of the campus's overall management policies and planning related to habitat and water quality protection. Salmon-Safe's evaluation team concluded, "Current management of the Toyota campus shows a high level of natural resource stewardship in accordance with Salmon-Safe standards." Salmon-Safe, Inc. is a nonprofit organization devoted to restoring agricultural and urban watersheds so that wild salmon can spawn and sustain life.
New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI), a Toyota-General Motors joint venture assembly plant in northern California, uses bright yellow warning signs to protect burrowing owl habitat areas on the plant property. Motorists are reminded to not drive or park on roadsides where the birds have burrowed to make their nests.
Billboard tracks gasoline saved by Toyota hybrids: 120,000,000 + gallons
Toyota estimates that drivers of Toyota and Lexus hybrids have saved more than 120,000,000 gallons of gasoline as of February 28, 2006. An electronic billboard counter alongside the 405 Freeway in El Segundo, California updates the running total every four seconds. Toyota and Lexus hybrid drivers have also avoided emitting an estimated 900,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide and more than 3,000,000 pounds of smog-forming gases.
Toyota D.C. office buys renewable energy certificates to offset greenhouse gases
Toyota is purchasing 396 megawatt-hours of wind energy Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) per year for five years for all of its downtown Washington, D.C., office energy needs. The office is in line to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) recognition for smart energy and building material improvements. The purchase of RECs by businesses and individuals offsets the greenhouse gas emissions created in the generation of electricity that they use in their businesses and homes. The purchase of RECs from a third party is a viable alternative to buying "green energy" directly from a utility.
Toyota wins awards for Prius and environmental action
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana (TMMI) has received an award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for taking steps to decrease its environmental impact. TMMI voluntarily identified its environmental priorities and eliminated 1,700,000 pounds a year of purge solvent and fuel tank primer waste from its manufacturing process. TMMI joined the EPA's National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP) program in April 2004.
Prius has received The Jim Henson Technology Honor from The Jim Henson Company. It was selected for "Toyota's inspiring efforts to turn an environmentally conscious car into something 'cool,' and for the overwhelming percentage of Henson employees who park their Prius on the company's lot each day." The Jim Henson Company is an innovator in puppetry and animatronics for film and television, best known for its Muppets characters.
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