EARTH ANGEL APPLICANT SUBMISSION – Toyota

2007 “Earth Month” events and sponsorships benefit the environment and education

In recognition of Earth Day, Toyota launched a partnership with the National Wildlife Refuge Association, supporting a promotional program for more than 500 refuge habitats and donating a Highlander Hybrid SUV as the grand prize for the organization’s photography contest.

Toyota expanded an ongoing partnership with Take Pride in America, a U.S. Department of Interior program, donating vehicles and title sponsoring National Public Lands Day. Toyota also launched the Take Pride in America School Program with a campaign called “Creating a New Generation of Volunteers.” The campaign educates students on the importance of environmental stewardship. Toyota donated a Prius for the program’s promotional school tours.

Toyota launched an 18-month long educational program “Highway of the Future: Mobile Hybrid Experience” a traveling interactive exhibit with hundreds of stops coast to coast. The exhibits educate visitors on how to improve the environment, the benefits of hybrid vehicles, energy conservation, alternative fuels, and more. Select tour sites offer ride & drives on all three Toyota hybrids. www.toyota.com/highway

Lexus sponsors competition for environmental innovators

For the second consecutive year, Lexus was the Transportation category prize sponsor of the California Clean Tech Open, an annual competition promoting the creation of clean technology. The event is a unique “business plan competition.” It seeks entries from professionals, scientists, and students alike who are prepared to take their innovations to the marketplace by building and sustaining a new company. The Transportation category is designed to attract technologies that improve fuel efficiency, reduce air pollution, and minimize dependence on gasoline.

Lexus launched the Lexus Environmental Challenge , a program designed to educate and empower students to take action to improve the environment. This all-new program encourages middle and high school students nationwide to develop and implement environmental programs that positively impact their communities. More than $1 million in scholarships and grants will be awarded to students, teachers and schools.

Toyota Drives Support for America’s Most Treasured Lands

2. Name 3 or more environmental initiatives your company will support in 2008.

Toyota International Teacher Program

Twenty-four U.S. teachers, chosen as educational ambassadors through the Toyota International Teacher Program, will explore the rich environment of the Galapagos Islands, a designated World Heritage site off the coast of Ecuador. The teachers will visit prominent sites on the islands of Santa Cruz and San Cristobal. They will observe environmental projects, talk with experts and community leaders, and participate in activities that encourage global awareness about environmental conservation. The selected teachers from both countries will share innovative approaches to teaching environmental stewardship across all subjects and disciplines. Open to educators in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, the Toyota International Teacher Program strives to expose educators of all disciplines to the diversity of peoples and ecosystems worldwide in an effort to inspire the creative teaching of international, cultural and environmental themes in U.S. schools and communities.

Galapagos Islands Environmental Sustainability Program

Working cooperatively with the World Wildlife Fund, Toyota has been helping to conserve the unique ecosystem of the Galapagos Islands since 2001. Using its expertise in efficiency, waste minimization, energy use, recycling and lifecycle and systems thinking, Toyota has supported and/or funded many projects and programs in the Galapagos Islands, including a redesign of the main fuel-handling facility, renewable energy teacher education workshops and oil and municipal recycling programs. Community education and outreach have been key components of all projects.

For the tenth consecutive year, Toyota will be title sponsor of National Public Lands Day , the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to preserve America’s public lands. This annual event is in partnership with the National Environmental Education Foundation. At over 1300 sites 120, 000 volunteers build trails, remove invasive weeds and replace them with native plants, clear debris, and participate in numerous other projects. This labor will represent $1.8 million dollars for public lands. This year, Toyota’s Think Green! Champions, who are designated environmental leaders within the company, each hosted a National Public Lands Day event in their home towns.

3. Name any awards your company has received for environmental progress in the past year.

Toyota campus reaches zero-waste-to-landfill milestone; receives major award

In January, Toyota’s multi-acre Torrance, California, headquarters campus achieved zero-waste-to-landfill status, a major environmental achievement. A comprehensive campus-wide recycling program and further waste sorting at vendor facilities have enabled a recycling rate of 80 percent. Remaining material is utilized as fuel to produce electrical energy. Toyota’s success is due in part to its Think Green! program, which institutionalizes the company's environmental ethic. Employees have volunteered to become Think Green! environmental “Champions,” educating fellow employees on sustainable practices and ways to maximize waste reduction. Recognizing these achievements, the California Integrated Waste Management Board has honored Toyota with its highest Waste Reduction Award, the Waste Reduction Program of the Year, out of a field of 1200 awardees. Toyota received the honor for its success at both its headquarters campus and Los Angeles Parts Distribution Center.

Toyota’s West Virginia plant joins EPA environmental quality program

Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia became a member of the U.S. EPA’s National Environmental Performance Track, a voluntary program that rewards facilities for outstanding environmental performance. Qualifications to join include past achievements in energy, water, and waste reduction, a continuous commitment to environmental compliance, implementation of a strong Environmental Management System, and a commitment to future improvements and public outreach programs.

Toyota vehicles earn top ratings in environmental “Best of 2007” guide

For the seventh consecutive year, Toyota vehicles appear in more categories than those of any other brand in GreenerCars.com’s “The Best of 2007” list. Toyota vehicles are included in seven of fourteen categories in the list: Compact, Subcompact, Midsize, and Large Cars, Compact Pickups, Minivans, and Midsize SUVs. Toyota vehicles occupy more number-one positions in these categories than those of any other maker, including Prius in Midsize Car, Yaris with both automatic and manual transmissions in Subcompact Car, Sienna in Minivan, Avalon in Large Car, and Highlander Hybrid in Midsize SUV. More Toyota gasoline-powered vehicles than those of any other automaker appear in “The Best of 2007” list. And, four of the twelve vehicles on the “Greener Choices of 2007” list are Toyota models—also more than those of any other automaker.

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) produces GreenerCars.com, and rates vehicles using EPA and California Air Resources Board data plus calculations of emissions, including greenhouse gases.

Lexus GS450h wins Gold Prize of Germany’s IF Design Award for 2007

4. Name all vehicles that your company currently has in production that are hybrid, diesel, solar powered, flex-fuel, natural gas, ethanol, or any other alternative fuels.

Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHEV), Toyota Prius, Camry Hybrid, Highlander Hybrid, Lexus GS 450h, Lexus LS 600h, Lexus RX 400h

Toyota FCHV (fuel cell hybrid vehicle), FCHV Bus2, Toyota RAV4 EV (units in operation),

Crown Hybrid sedan, Estima Hybrid mini-van, Alphard Hybrid mini-van, Dyna Hybrid truck, Toyoace Hybrid truck, and Coaster Hybrid bus

5. Name all environmental organizations your company supports.

Audubon Society, Nature Conservancy, American Lung Association, World Wildlife Fund, National Wildlife Refuge, National Park Federation, Environmental Media Association, National Public Lands Day, Take Pride in America, Arbor Day Foundation, Tree People, Oceana, Surf Riders, Boone Conservancy (Kentucky), Yellowstone Park Foundation, Yosemite National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Great Smokey Mountains National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Everglades National Park, Heal the Bay etc.

6. In 100 words or less, what is your company position and mission on global warming?

Toyota has long been mindful of and accepts the broad scientific consensus that climate change is occurring and will continue unless there are significant and coordinated global efforts to slow the growth of manmade greenhouse gas emissions.

Toyota is committed to continued action to address climate change and promote energy diversity by increasing the fuel efficiency of our products, developing new markets for advanced vehicle technology, and reducing the greenhouse gas footprint of our business. The motor vehicle industry has a responsibility to be part of the solution, but these issues cannot be addressed by this industry alone. Action on both issues must, by definition, be national in scope and involve a wide range of industries and sectors of the economy, as well as consumers.

In the near term, Toyota expects CAFE standards to increase over the next few years and supports raising both car and truck fuel economy standards.