Conducting our business in a sustainable way is more than just a hot topic at Ford. With the release of our 18th annual Sustainability Report, it’s a practice we’ve preached and continue to incorporate into everything we do.
From sustainable materials and by-products being tested and incorporated into our vehicles, to eliminating waste from our production lines, our goal is to leave this planet in a better place than we found it.
We strive to be an industry leader in sustainable technology and environmentalism, which is why we are continuously looking for new and better ways to manufacture our vehicles and create a better world for all mankind.
In June, Ford became the first automaker to pledge to the Business Alliance for Water and Climate’s “Improve Water Security” initiative – an international coalition of companies working towards sustainable water practices.
Ford was also the first automaker to recapture carbon dioxide for vehicle development. Within the next few years, Ford engineers hope to create durable foams and plastics with this repurposed CO2 – a move that could reduce petroleum use by 272 million kilograms each year.
Since 2000, Ford has reduced its water usage by 61%, and has goals to use no potable (drinking) water in the manufacturing process by 2020!
We believe that being energy-conscious starts from within, which is why some Ford interiors are made from sustainable materials and food by-products, including soybeans, rice hulls and wheat straw, with other items like bamboo, tomato and algae being tested for potential use in the future.
Beyond upcycling more sustainable materials, we’re approaching waste from another angle as well. Through diligent use of the reduce, reuse, recycle formula, the Oakville Assembly Complex was the first to send zero waste to landfill in 2014. Today, Ford has 82 facilities around the world that have achieved this designation.
Another example is our closed-loop aluminum recycling program – an idea developed by one of Ford’s own stamping engineers – which saves more than 9 million kilograms of aluminum every month across multiple Ford facilities.
Like we said, sustainability isn’t just an idea for the Ford family – it’s a way of life. Follow the links below if you want to learn more about Ford’s green initiatives:
- Take a closer look at what’s in a Ford vehicle
- Ford, Jose Cuervo partner to bring agave to your next vehicle
- Zeroing in on Landfill Waste
- Waste not, want not – How one employee changed the way Ford recycles
- Ford becomes the first automaker to recapture CO2 for vehicle development
- Ford reduces water consumption, aims for zero potable water by 2020
Tell us how you support the environment in the comments or on Ford Canada’s Facebook page!