By SkySite Property staff
The retail industry may find some unique ways to reduce its carbon footprint by looking at how one of its vendors has implemented green strategies.
Electronics maker Panasonic named its Kusatsu, Japan, location the “Eco Ideas Factory,” as part of its effort to reduce 29,000 tons of dioxide emissions by 2010. The factory will be the focus of the company’s three environmental concepts: eco ideas for manufacturing, eco ideas for products, and eco ideas for everybody, everywhere.
The $90-billion-a-year company’s main motivator is to cut household emissions. In 2010, Panasonic plans to increase the number of high-performance air conditioners, refrigerators, rice cookers, microwave ovens and hygienic toilet seats while eliminating low-performance models.
The company hopes the change will lead to a 23 percent emissions reduction per unit.
Looking beyond electronics, Panasonic and its parent company, Matsushita, will convert used cooking oil from the company cafeteria and employees’ homes to convert to biofuel for local buses and trucks. The company also hopes to build stronger ties with the local community by offering educational tours to teach energy-saving techniques and encourage students to be mindful of the environment.
A sports complex adjacent to the factory’s lot will be converted to a multipurpose facility that can be used by surrounding communities for sporting and social events.
