Toyota is launching a new plan to ensure that its cars aren’t the only things which are as green as possible. The Japanese carmaker has issued a new 8-step environmental strategy to help save energy and reduce emissions across its retail network too, so that you can buy a green car from a green centre.
The new 8-step environmental plan, introduced with support from the Carbon Trust could help the carmaker’s 200+ Toyota and Lexus centres reduce CO2 emissions by around 15 per cent within a year.
Following a successful pilot scheme last year, the carmaker is working with independent advisory body to expand the scheme across all of its UK centres. Results from the 2009 pilot programme conducted at 16 centres demonstrated the plan’s potential to achieve substantial environmental gains and have encouraged its implementation nationwide. The trial recorded savings of up to 20 per cent in electricity and gas consumption, reducing the carbon footprint of each site by around 30 tonnes of CO2 per year.
Nigel Burke, Centre Principal at Somerset County Cars, one of the centres that participated in the trial, said: “The pilot project has given us the means to visualise our energy usage and where we could make savings. Through staff education, good housekeeping, constant monitoring and modest expenditure on items such as lighting or timers we have significantly reduced our electricity consumption.”
With the support of the Carbon Trust, each centre will be assessed on its current energy use and through a targeted energy management and monitoring system will be helped to reduce electricity and gas consumption. Workshops will also be held over 2010 and 2011 to promote best practice and sustain energy savings.
Thomas Rosselle, Toyota Manager for Corporate Social Responsibility said: “Our centres’ achievements in reducing their carbon footprint will not only be beneficial to them and to Toyota, they will also enable them to share best practice with members of their local community, such as customers, businesses, schools and other community groups.
“By sharing the knowledge they gain in this way, they can help others to reduce their energy usage and thus achieve even greater carbon emissions savings.”
Hugh Jones, Director of Solutions at the Carbon Trust, said: “We’re delighted that Toyota is taking action to cut energy use and carbon emissions across its dealer network. The pilot programme proved that even simple changes can make a real impact. We look forward to working with the company to build on this success.”
