General Motors' April Corporate Responsibility Newsletter
General Motors Corporate Responsibility Newsletter
April 2012
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Spring Hill Changes the Lights to Cut Energy
GM’s Spring Hill Manufacturing complex expects to save nearly $800,000 annually by upgrading to high-efficiency lighting in its general assembly and engine plants, both of which begin production later this year. Replacement of more than 4,000 fixtures with high-efficiency fluorescent lighting is estimated to save 8.5 million kilowatt hours (kWhr) of electricity per year - equivalent to the energy needed to power 750 homes.
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GM Awards Supplier for Environmental Excellence
FTS Technologies, a surface treatment company based in Whitmore Lake, Mich., received the General Motors Environmental Excellence Award for introducing an energy-efficient technology that lets paint stick to plastic vehicle parts without using traditional chemical adhesion systems. It helps GM’s supply base reduce waste and emissions.
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GM Thailand Facility Earns Energy Efficiency Certification
GM Thailand is now the first auto company in Thailand to receive an energy efficiency certification called ISO 50001. Thanks to the new protocols it implemented last year in accordance with the certification, GM estimates it has reduced more than 4,000 tons of greenhouse gases at its Rayong facility.
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WASTE REDUCTION
GM’s Coffee Recycling Program is Grounds for Sustainability
John Bradburn, GM’s manager of waste-reduction efforts, has instituted a coffee grounds recycling program at the Warren Tech Center, where his team works. The efforts have resulted in saving approximately 3,000 pounds of this nitrogen and phosphorous-rich material from being thrown out with the garbage in one year.
GM Named Michigan Green Leader for Landfill-Free Program
The Detroit Free Press has named General Motors a Michigan Green Leader for growing its landfill-free program in 2011. The annual competition recognizes businesses, individuals and organizations working to make the state a greener place to live and work. Last year, GM added eight manufacturing and nine non-manufacturing facilities to its landfill-free list, bringing the count to 81 and 16, respectively, that reuse, recycle or convert to energy waste created in daily operations.
SAFETY
OnStar Advisors Bridge Gap in Emergencies
First responders at a crash scene can be the difference between life and death for a critically injured person, but the time it takes to arrive can delay medical care. OnStar’s specially trained Emergency Advisors can help bridge that gap with a service called First Assist, a gold winner at the 2012 Edison Awards. First Assist allows OnStar Emergency Advisors to provide immediate medical advice and guidance to victims in distress while they wait for first responders to arrive. These advisors are certified by the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch to provide emergency medical dispatch to people in need.
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OnStar Makes 439 Million Connections… and Counting
Originally developed as an airbag deployment notification system on three 1997 Cadillac models, OnStar has evolved to offer unmatched safety and security services. Today OnStar also provides everyday services like Turn-by-Turn Navigation, Hands-Free Calling and the RemoteLink Mobile App, leading to more than 439 million interactions - and counting. Over the last 16 years, OnStar has assisted in 191,000 Automatic Crash Response calls.
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Safe Kids Launches 2012 Heat Stroke Prevention Campaign
Every year, dozens of children die of hyperthermia, also known as heat stroke, while unattended in vehicles. To help prevent these tragic deaths, the General Motors Foundation and Safe Kids Buckle Up are launching the 2012 Never Leave Your Child Alone in a Car campaign to arm parents and caregivers with preventive tips and tactics. For more than 15 years, GM and the GM Foundation have served as Safe Kids Buckle Up’s exclusive funding source and helped build the program into a multifaceted national initiative, bringing motor vehicle safety messages to children and families through community and dealer partnerships.
GREENER VEHICLES
GM Sees Record 100,000 Sales of 30 mpg or Better Vehicles
Combined U.S. sales of the 12 General Motors vehicles that get an EPA estimated 30 mpg or better on the highway are expected to reach 100,000 units or more in March, the highest total in company history.
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Chevrolet Primed for Rising Demand for Diesel Cars
The planned U.S. introduction of a 2.0L clean turbo diesel version of the Chevrolet Cruze next year is expected to benefit from growing interest in diesel cars, sales of which could double by mid-decade, according to market research firm Baum and Associates.
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Opel HydroGen4 gets firsts wind-sourced hydrogen fuel
An Opel HydroGen4 is the first fuel cell vehicle to use hydrogen sourced from wind power, now that longstanding Opel partners TOTAL and ENERTRAG are supplying a Berlin gas station with the “green” hydrogen fuel. Both companies have been testing fuel cell vehicles for everyday use.
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GM Shows Chevrolet EN-V 2.0 Mobility Concept Vehicle
General Motors showed the company’s vision of the Chevrolet EN-V 2.0 concept at Auto China 2012. It is an evolved design of the company’s revolutionary mobility concept revealed at World Expo 2010 Shanghai.
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Chevrolet Malibu Eco Saves Gas with Fuel-Efficient Tech
Chevrolet Malibu Eco owners are well positioned to weather seasonal increases in fuel prices because the car features fuel-saving technologies. Chevy’s most fuel-efficient midsize sedan ever features electric power assist steering, which helps to improve fuel economy by up to 2.5 percent compared to conventional hydraulic steering systems. This can help customers save approximately 12 gallons annually, or about 120 gallons in a 10-year life. At $4 per gallon, that saves about $50 per year or $500 in 10 years.
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Reducing America’s Dependence on Petroleum: A Conversation with GM Biofuels Expert, Coleman Jones
GM is working to develop more sustainable transportation by focusing on energy alternatives and various advanced technologies. One key area is biofuels - like E85 ethanol - because we believe they provide the most significant near-term solution to reduce both petroleum dependence and the carbon footprint of driving. As the global leader in producing FlexFuel vehicles that can run on E85 ethanol, gasoline, or any combination of the two, GM offers more of these models than any other automaker.
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FEATURE ARTICLES
Self-Driving Car in Cadillac’s Future
Kenneth J. Barrett Named GM Chief Diversity Officer
Chevrolet Salutes U.S. Military Appreciation Month
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