Planting seeds for future Growth, Toyota extents Environmental Milestone

For many years Toyota has been taking initiatives toward establishing a recycling based society, for example by building a value chain for recycling end-of-life vehicles more than 40 years ago, promoting activities to utilize resources efficiently and reduce water consumption at production and non-production bases with the aim of improving material productivity.

Toyota is not only great place to work, but also a place where are produced some of the world class vehicles. Aside from being great place to work, Toyota Indiana strives to be a leader in its environmental efforts.

Toyota received ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year-Sustained Excellence Award from the U.S. EPA for continued leadership in protecting the environment through superior  energy efficiency.

“Our Environmental Affairs team and Production team members have collaborated throughout the years to implement many innovative ways to reduce energy consumption,” said John Stevens, Manager, Plant Engineering & Environmental.  “From wastewater sludge reduction to our focused recycling efforts, teamwork has made it all possible.”

Back in May 2008, Toyota's Environmental Affairs team implemented its Afforestation Area. The afforestation project grew from an idea that began 16 years ago, when the plant president, Seizo Okamoto, had a vision of a nature trail adjacent to the childcare center. With the help of a local landscape architect, 10,000 saplings of 17 native species were planted along a one mile loop.

The program took on new life five years ago, and planting began in earnest. So far, more than 90,000 trees have been planted, the final goal: 125,000 by the end of 2014.

To get the trees in the ground fast, Toyota used mechanical equipment to plant most of the forest, but it also asked associates for help. Team members and their families hand planted 1,000 trees in just a few hours. Their handiwork has created new habitats for native animals, such as white-tailed deer, red-tailed hawks and even bobcats to live, reproduce and prosper.

“I know that our plant will be around for many years to come,” said Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana (TMMI) President Norm Bafunno.  “It is my wish that many of these young children will grow to be our future team members – and as they grow, these trees will be growing with them.”
                                                                                             
“The goal of sustainable growth that is in harmony with the environment is part of our Global   Vision,” says Bafunno. “TMMI is proud to support and enhance the communities where we live and work through environmental stewardship of our land, community service and environmental education programs we offer to our local school children each year.”

The future sustainability is a key component of Toyota's environmental initiatives. The Afforestation Area and the fact that Toyota has been a zero waste to landfill facility since 2005 are a couple of examples of these sustainable actions.