Elsewhere, polylactic acid (PLA), a biodegradable plastic derived completely from the sugars in corn and sugarbeets, is used in upholstery, floor mats and protective wrapping for vehicle delivery. Plastic parts made from PLA can biodegrade after their life cycle in 90 to 120 days versus up to 1,000 years in a landfill for a traditional petroleum-based plastic.
At the end of the day, all these initiatives help Ford make its vehicles 85 percent recyclable by weight (consider that more than 95 percent of all end-of-life vehicles in the U.S. are processed for recycling). Of course, 10- or 15-year-old vehicles don't benefit from all these new eco-friendly materials, but it will be interesting to see how today's innovations and practices alleviate the burden on Mother Nature over the next few decades.
Ford and other car makers that use similar technology not only protect the environment but also limit production costs by using these cheap, low-demand yet sustainable materials at the end of their life cycle.
Unlike some, the Blue Oval understands that you can indeed make more profits with environmentally-friendly technologies and procedures. And once you do that, you can promote your green achievements and use them as arguments to lure even more buyers from an increasingly Earth-conscious population.
 |
| Photo: Marc-André Hallé/Auto123.com |
At the end of the day, all these initiatives help Ford make its vehicles 85 percent recyclable by weight (consider that more than 95 percent of all end-of-life vehicles in the U.S. are processed for recycling). Of course, 10- or 15-year-old vehicles don't benefit from all these new eco-friendly materials, but it will be interesting to see how today's innovations and practices alleviate the burden on Mother Nature over the next few decades.
Ford and other car makers that use similar technology not only protect the environment but also limit production costs by using these cheap, low-demand yet sustainable materials at the end of their life cycle.
Unlike some, the Blue Oval understands that you can indeed make more profits with environmentally-friendly technologies and procedures. And once you do that, you can promote your green achievements and use them as arguments to lure even more buyers from an increasingly Earth-conscious population.
 |
| Photo: Marc-André Hallé/Auto123.com |