Protecting the Environment
 American
automaker
headquartered in Detroit, MI
 Founded in 1908 by William C.
Durant
 World’s 2nd largest automaker
 Produces cars and trucks in 31
countries
 Brands include: Buick, Cadillac,
Chevrolet, GMC, Opel, Vauxhall
and Holden
 Adopted
Environmental Principles to
serve as a guide for all GM employees
 GM is one of the leading users in
renewable energy.
 Principles include
• Commitment to actions to restore and preserve
environment
• Commitment to reducing waste and pollutants
 Fuel
Economy
• 12 vehicle models that achieve 30 mpg or more
highway rating
• Made vehicles more efficient through Active
Fuel Management, 6-speed transmissions,
variable valve timing and direct injection
• 5 hybrid vehicles: Chevy Tahoe, Chevy
Silverado, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon Denali, GMC
Sierra & Cadillac Escalade
Volt
 Biofuels
• Looking at alternatives to gasoline as fuel
source
• Offer 19 vehicle models that can run on E85, a
fuel blend made of 85% ethanol and 15%
gasoline
• Working to expand availability of the fuel to new
places
 Electric
vehicle – Chevrolet Volt
 Project Driveway – Hydrogen Fuel Cell
Vehicles
 Use
recycled & bio-based materials
from renewable resources
 Recycled materials like old pop
bottles, blue jeans, used tires and
recycled vehicle bumpers are used in
the new vehicles
 Exploring opportunities to use
recycled waste products from own
facilities in new vehicles.
The 2010 Chevrolet Corvette uses
renewable balsa wood, the fastest
growing tree in the world, in its
floor panel.
Components of the
headliner in the 2010
Buick Lacrosse are made
from recycled
cardboard scrap salvaged
from manufacturing
operations at GM’s
Marion Assembly plant in
Marion, Indiana.
Today, GM vehicles are at
least 85 percent recyclable
and 95 percent recoverable
(by weight)!!
 Energy
• Use energy from solar, hydro and landfill gas
resources
• Reduced overall energy usage by more than
40% between 2005 – 2009
 Emissions
• Reduced CO² emissions from facilities by 39%
from 2005-2009
Solar panels at a
GM manufacturing
plant.
 Water
• Reduced amount of water used by 35% from 2005 –
2009
 Waste
• Focus first on decreasing amount of waste
• For unavoidable waste, GM finds ways to recycle
those materials for use in products like the Buick
Lacrosse example (refer to slide 7)
GM currently has 69 facilities around the world with
“landfill-free” certification!!
Video showing how a
“landfill-free” GM plant
operates.
Click on video to play.
 http://www.gm.com/corporate/responsi
bility/environment/index.jsp
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_M
otors
 http://www.gm.ca/inm/gmcanada/englis
h/about/Environment/environment.html