TOYOTA ENVIRONMENTAL UPDATE
Fiftieth issue, June 2008
MORE
THAN ONE MILLION PRIUS SOLD
As of April 2008, worldwide cumulative sales
of the Prius have passed the one million mark, with approximately 1,028,000 units
sold since its introduction in Japan in December 1997. More than 591,000 Prius
have been purchased in North America. Toyota's own estimates indicate that Prius
hybrids have contributed to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of approximately
4.5 million tons of CO2 compared to non-hybrid gasoline-powered vehicles in the
same class and of similar size and driving performance.
TOYOTA MANUFACTURING
RECOGNIZED BY U.S. EPA FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) has awarded a 2008 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award to Toyota's
North American manufacturing division, TEMA (Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
North America, Inc.). The award was given in recognition of TEMA's continued leadership
in protecting the environment through energy efficiency.
Chosen from more
than 9,000 candidates, Sustained Excellence Award winners are a select group of
organizations that have exhibited outstanding leadership year after year.
TOYOTA
AND LEXUS CONTINUE SUPPORT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS
Toyota is contributing
more than $1 million and five vehicles to Everglades National Park in support
of regional education programs for K-12 students. This donation is part of a recently
announced $5 million contribution from Toyota in support of five National Parks
and the National Park Foundation to enhance environmental leadership and educational
programs. Toyota's contributions are among the first corporate contributions to
be matched by the Department of the Interior's Centennial Initiative, which calls
for $1 billion over 10 years to strengthen basic park operations via a public-private
funding partnership for new projects and programs.
Toyota has pledged a three-year, $1.4 million sponsorship of MillionTreesNYC to support tree planting, public education, and community outreach activities. MillionTreesNYC is a partnership between the New York Department of Parks & Recreation and New York Restoration Project to plant one million new trees in New York City by 2017.
A $1.48 million grant from Toyota to the National 4-H Council will help 4-H introduce "Exploring Your Environment," an environmental curriculum to promote its water conservation programs, and "4-H20," an interactive online learning experience to connect youth to water conservation issues and environmental engagement.
Lexus Environmental Challenge grants and scholarships totaling more than $1 million have been awarded through a national competition by Lexus and Scholastic to educate and empower teens about making a positive impact on the environment. Two grand-prize winners received $75,000 each, and 14 first-place teams won $50,000 each.
The National Audubon Society and Toyota have launched TogetherGreen, a nationwide Audubon program to fund conservation projects, train environmental leaders, and offer volunteer opportunities to benefit the environment. A $20 million Toyota grant will fund TogetherGreen for five years.
TOYOTA
MARKS EARTH DAY WITH ACTION
At Toyota's national headquarters campus in
Torrance, California, the annual Earth Day e-waste recycling drive recycled used
electronics totaling 23,000 pounds from Toyota Associates and 21,000 pounds from
the local community. In other parts of the country, the Portland Parts Distribution
Center and Region Office and Toyota Logistics Services (TLS) Portland aided in
a Columbia Slough clean-up project; the Cincinnati Parts Distribution Center partnered
with local schools on environmental education; TLS Fremont and the San Francisco
Parts Distribution Center participated in the city of Livermore's beautification
program; and the Boston Parts Distribution Center and Region Office aided in the
city of Mansfield's "Great Mansfield Clean Up."
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