TOYOTA PRIUS

Toyota Prius Eco Audit



Toyota Prius Eco Audit

Introduction

Climate is a construct that represents the statistical ensemble of factual or possible meteorological situations on Earth. It aggregates local weather conditions on different temporal and spatial scales up to the global dimension. In the last century, mean surface temperatures rose globally. Consequences of global warming may be manifold and might worsen in the future, depending upon underlying climate models and emission scenarios. Respective impacts vary on systemic, regional, temporal, and sectoral scales. Climate change may affect all of humankind and is, therefore, an issue of global justice. As the role, of greenhouse gases in the warming of our atmosphere have become better understood and the ramifications clearer, significant attention devoted to the issue of greenhouse gas emissions (WARD'S Dealer Business 2010, pp. 112). Although the science of the greenhouse effect and the global effect that increasing atmospheric densities of greenhouse gases would have on our climate has long been understood, more localized pollution sources in the automobile sector dominate the national and global policy regarding pollution control.

The ubiquity of gasoline engines has profound effects on the natural environment. In the first instance, drilling for crude oil, from which gasoline derived, has left a trail of tarnished ecological landscapes and political and economic situations that call into question justice and peace. To, address these issue considerable advancements done in the product offering by automobile sectors. Companies are now focusing on offering fuel-efficient vehicles that have minimal impact on the environment. Emergence of hybrid technology has enabled the companies to redesign their goals towards fuel-efficient vehicles offering. Alternative energy derived from sources that are renewable, do not use up natural resources or harm the environment, or can replace fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and oil. Consumers' willingness to buy a fuel-efficient hybrid is influenced by numerous factors. US Government has typically reformed its command-and-control (CAC) regulation and market-based incentives to resolve the inefficiencies of environment protection and promote fuel-efficient vehicle adoption (Trott 2010, pp.81). It is essential to determine the current status of fuel-efficient vehicle in US and factors that determine the adoption rate of hybrid vehicles in the country. Increasing orientation of agencies towards environment protection has propelled the consumers towards using eco-friendly products. Since vehicles are high-involvement product, therefore, significant factors play an important role in determining the acceptance of the latest technology innovation in the form of hybrid vehicles in the automobile sector.

Environmental Principles

"Toyota Environmental Action Plan"

Toyota has announced the fifth Environmental Action Plan, which sets out specific actions to be implemented in the next four years 2011-2015. The plan based on environmental principles that have always distinguished the Japanese, aimed at contributing to the growth of a sustainable society through production in harmony with the environment, building cars and offering quality products and services. Toyota has established three key themes:

Creating a society with lower CO2 emissions

Establishment of a recycling society

Protecting the environment through the creation of a society in harmony with nature (Peterson 2010, ...