Climate change, resource depletion and habitat loss are among the top concerns addressed in the release of a new Toyota Motor Corp. environmental update released Jan. 14.
The company has identified six major green challenges and the 2019 North American Environmental Report is meant to give a progress update.
The first three challenges focus on carbon, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles Toyota makes, along with its own operations and supply chain activities.
The fourth challenge is water quality availability, and the final two are recycling and protecting nature.
Some of the highlights from 2019 include the first phase of a California’s Zero-and-Near-Zero Emission Freight Facilities Project (ZANZEFF) that will reduce GHG emissions by 500 tons, the recycling of over half a billion gallons of water at manufacturing facilities and a 93 percent recycling, reuse or composting rate of waste at all North American facilities.
“Our actions today are setting a foundation for the future. Achieving Challenge 2050 will not be easy, but with the help of team members, suppliers and other partners, we are already reducing our impacts and creating positive change,” said Toyota Motor North America Director of Environmental Sustainability Kevin Butt.
Other signs of progress from the report:
- Toyota is committed to offering an electrified version of each Toyota and Lexus model by 2025.
- Toyota’s North American manufacturing plants recycled or reused 565 million gallons of water last year, equal to the water use of 5,159 average American families.
- Toyota’s assembly plant in Cambridge, Ontario, developed a new cleaning process that saves 11,300 gallons of solvent and cuts material waste in half.
- Toyota has 13 sites engaged in conservation programs certified by Wildlife Habitat Council.
In the U.S., Canada and Mexico, Toyota corporate has supported 67 Toyota and Lexus dealerships in becoming LEED-certified. Achieving LEED certification illustrates the dealerships’ commitment to sustainable construction and remodeling.