Doing More Than Building Cars

Springtime is a great time to think about the environment around us; trees and plants begin to bloom and grow, and the dismal gray of winter becomes vibrant and green.  But for some Toyota manufacturing facilities, building Toyota cars is not the only thing they do, and taking care of the surrounding environment is something for all seasons.

The Toyota Environmental Affairs team began planting trees in an Afforestation Area on 1,160 acres of land at one of the company’s facilities in May, 2008.  Recently the president of the facility, Norm Bafunno, and several local children planted the Afforestation Area’s 100,000th tree.

The Afforestation Area is now home to wildlife like red-tailed hawks, white-tailed deer, bobcats, and other wildlife native to the area.

“I know that our plant will be around for many years to come…  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,” said Bafunno.

Environmental stewardship is an important part of the auto manufacturing process.  Toyota was also awarded their tenth ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year — Sustained Excellence Award in a row recently from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the company’s commitment to reducing energy usage.

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

Come to Schaumburg Toyota today to learn more about green, fuel-efficient Toyota cars at our Toyota dealership serving Palatine — cars like the 2014 Toyota Corolla, the 2014 Toyota Camry Hybrid, or the 2014 Toyota Highlander Hybrid.  Celebrate spring — and every season — with a green car from Toyota.