Video: Toyota Celebrates Earth Day By Going Green

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BLUE SPRINGS, Miss.(WCBI)-The local Toyota plant brought many jobs with it, and that’s been great for our economy. Now, company leaders are thinking globally by acting locally.

Toyota is the number one car manufacturer in the world. As it’s production continues to grow, company leaders are focusing on a green future.

Toyota’s Blue Springs plant is celebrating Earth Day by flipping the switch to a 50 kilowatt solar panel; which is the fourth largest in the state.

“We’ve got 200 panels that are photovoltaic and they capture the sun and through the silica chips that are embedded with cross panels they generate enough electricity to power seven house holds,” says Doug Formby.

The Solar panels will track the sun’s movement from dawn until dusk and will lay flat at night in “sleep mode”.  Dough Formby, the Vice President of Administration for Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Mississippi says the solar panels are a way to show consideration to the planet and to the community.

“One of our commitments one of our global commitments is respect for the planet and we try to do a good job of managing our energy at all of our facilities, but one of our core values is how we reinvest in renewable energies and this is kind of a test for us and it’s another demonstration the way Toyota is giving back to the community and respecting our planet in the process,” says Formby.

Toyota is always finding new ways to save money while keeping its environment healthy. Trudy Fisher, the Executive Director of Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality says this new project demonstrates progress for the plant and the state.

“It shows number one, the continued investment that Toyota has into the state of Mississippi, but it also shows how Toyota is leading by example and shows what can be done at other plants and other manufacturer facilities to minimize and reduce your environmental foot print,” says MDEQ Executive Director Trudy Fisher.

Fisher says without the support, of the workers, at the manufacturing plant, none of this would have been possible.

“The men and women who work here at the plant, the team leaders, they have embraced this philosophy and it’s just a great place to be on Earth Day,” says Fisher.

Toyota’s Blue Springs plant was given the EPA’s Energy Star award at today’s ceremony