In a historic era when most car manufacturers are having to re-invent everything short of the wheel, BMW is quietly but stealthily creeping ahead as the luxury car of choice for the environmentally-conscious individual who can afford a BMW. Every car manufacturer in the country is pulling their hair out, just trying to stay in operation. Meanwhile, BMW is modifying its line of luxury sedans to accommodate the demands of a green-thinking consumer public. While some car companies are just trying to keep their businesses from being swallowed up by the federal government, BMW is modestly winning the battle to be the greenest car company around, and possibly setting the stage for a luxury car coup.
According to an August 26th article from Bavarian Motorsports, BMW has gone far above and beyond the required in its drive to reach the admirable goal of being one of the top earth-friendly car manufacturers. The company has taken noteworthy steps to reduce its non-recyclable output as well as its consumption of natural resources. By diverting a methane source near its South Carolina factory, the company is able to harness more than half the energy required to operate the quarter billion square foot plant. The feat will save the company a cool couple of millions of dollars a year and reduce toxic CO2 emissions to equate planting nearly 25,000 acres of trees a year. The corporation is making three quarters of a billion dollars in energy- and cost-efficient improvements to the plant. Proactive steps are being taken to reduce water consumption and hazardous chemical waste production. BMW has the first sun-powered trash compactor in use in an automobile production factory in the United States.
According to its South Carolina plant’s corporate website, the company’s commitment to becoming increasingly self-sustaining has led to installation of machinery at the South Carolina plant that has affected a 16% increase in energy efficiency. The nod from the EPA only adds another feather in BMW’s cap as recognition of its efforts in the clean-car initiative. The website of the South Carolina plant proudly asserts it recycles nearly all the scrap materials left over after the car manufacturing process. The company has ceased using Styrofoam and has instead begun to use a more earth-friendly padding material.
BMW supports environmental initiatives within the community as well. In South Carolina BMW provides corporate funding to support nature conservancies, cultural reinforcement programs, and wildlife federations. It employs corporate initiatives to promote funding for conservation education, as well as supporting education through grants and scholarships. The company annually awards individuals who show outstanding patronage for the state of South Carolina through proactive work preserving the indigenous culture, history and nature of the state. There is an on-site butterfly farm and numerous birdhouses across the campus. BMW has accomplished the safe preservation of the natural wetlands bordering the land around the South Carolina plant.
You can find more about automobiles and clean cars at professional freelance blogger Trina L. Grant’s website. Check out her blog, Destination Freelance, for more samples of her writing.
Image courtesy sxc/pentond
