Subaru Goes Green
There are many ways i the automotive industry to be GREEN. It’s not just about making electric cars, alternative fuel vehicles or hybrids. Green is also about how you do more with less and create less wasted materials. Subaru has done exactly that at its Indiana plant according to its Subaru Drive magazine backissues. It reuses or recycles 97% of the leftover materials from its auto production. Here are some examples of ways that it has moved to green.
Brasss lug nots used to hold wheels in place during shipping from its wheel supplier are now reused. Once they can no longer be reused they are recyled. That has reduced the waste of 33,000 pounds of brass per year! I am pretty sure this corrsponds to significant cost savings as well.
Paint sludge which was thrown away is dried to a powder and then shipped to a plastics manufacturer wit is mixed with other palstic compounds. These are then used to make parking lot bumpers and guardrail safety blocks.
Subaru’s effort has resulted in their designation as “zero landfill status”. They continue to focus improvement in the communities where they operate. They have donated hundreds of new cherry trees, encouraged clean up efforts in the community and devote a section of each monthly Subaru Drive magazine to promote green ideas.
If we all look at ways that we can reduce what goes into a landfill, we can also frequently find ways to turn it into cash. Green can result in lower cost and increased profits as well as being the right thing to do.
At VirTex Assembly, we have reduced things such as paper use, packaging materials, chemical use and hazardous substances used in processing. Let me know about innovative ways your company has reduced waste.
Brad
