On 19 November 2009 Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey (TMMT) hosted the first of its eco-tours of the TMMT plant in Arifiye. The tour was arranged in collaboration with the Sakarya National Education Directorate and Arifiye National Education Directorate. Within the Arifiye region there are 13 elementary schools, and TMMT hopes that around 400 children from these schools will undertake the eco-tour by the end of March 2010. The eco-tours are planned to continue in future years with schools from other districts.
To date, three groups, representing a total of 180 students, have taken the tour. The children are all in the fourth and fifth grades of local elementary schools (typically aged between 10 and 11 years). The students have found the tour to be very interesting and, judging from the responses on the activity evaluation forms they completed at the end of the day, will take many ideas back to their schools and homes. Some of the comments included:
- “From now on, I will turn off the lights when I leave a room to save energy.”
- “We should have separate plastics and glass recycling boxes at school and at home.”
- “The Toyota plant is very clean compared to others and the plant recycles its waste.”
- “I want to have more solar street lights in my town.”
- “Congratulations to Toyota for organising this activity for children. As a teacher I will arrange an environment corner in my school.”
- “If I had the chance I would visit the Toyota plant every day.”
As part of the eco-tour run on 14 January 2010, the students ended the day by planting around 50 sakura trees in the area around the TMMT factory. The students were joined in the planting by members of the TMMT management team and members of the local media who also reported on the event.
Further information
Sebnem Erkazanci
Corporate Communications Department
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey
sebnem.erkazanci@toyotatr.com
