By Paige Harden, The Republic
pharden@therepublic.com
Through good environmental practices, Toyota's forklift plant near Walesboro has avoided taking trash to the landfill for more than three years.
And Cummins Inc. is saving money and improving the environment by measuring energy consumption in every facility worldwide.
The two corporations are making major changes to reduce their carbon footprints.
Company representatives addressed those changes at a recent Energy Matters Community Coalition meeting.
Cummins has committed to reducing CO2 emissions by 2010 by 25 percent from 2005 levels, said Tina Vujovich, Cummins vice president for marketing and environmental policy.
"This is a major commitment because since 2000 we already reduced emissions by 20 percent," Vujovich said. "This is an opportunity to look inside and outside our facilities and ask important questions."
Vujovich said conserving energy makes sense.
"It provides us with the opportunity to improve the efficiency of our facilities," she said. "Not only is it good business, it's the right thing to do."
Mike Molnar, Cummins director of environmental policy, said meeting the 25 percent reduction will save the company $30 million in energy costs per year.
"It comes down to the energy we use, we need to get lean and green," Molnar said. "This affects all operations worldwide."
Molnar said energy tracking systems will calculate all emissions.
"It's a major expense, but we will be able to see how much energy every project is using," he said. "We are 'Doing more to use less.'"
Toyota
Ron Allen, Toyota environmental engineer, said Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Inc. has not sent waste to a landfill since spring 2004.
"We send it to a waste conversion plant in Indianapolis where they convert it to energy," he said. "In June 2004 we sent 97 tons of waste to Indianapolis. In (December 2007) we sent just 19 tons," he said. "We were able to do that by reducing, reusing and recycling."
Allen said another major goal is to reduce CO2 emissions 50 percent by 2050.
"It's all about continual improvement," he said. "We are never satisfied, especially when it comes to the environment."
Allen said other objectives include reducing hazardous air pollutants, volatile organic compounds, energy use and natural gas consumption.
"We have all energy-efficient lighting and we turn off lights and equipment during nonproduction hours," Allen said. A definite way to positively impact the environment, Allen said, is to reduce, reuse or recycle.
"We donate all of the proceeds from recycling to charities like Riley Hospital and Make A Wish," Allen said. "The associates love it because they can be a part of Toyota making a difference."
Community reaction
Rae-Leigh Stark attended the meeting and was pleased with Cummins' and Toyota's commitment to the environment.
"I am very impressed with what they are doing," Stark said. "Corporations should be leaders and set an example for community members."
Jim Farless also was impressed.
"Along with government, they can become the models for other businesses as well as for the citizens of the community," he said. "They encourage their employees to implement better practices at home as well as at work. This has a ripple effect into our neighborhoods."