Every Honda City, Jazz, Civic, Accord, CR-V and Pilot you see on our roads started with a dream. At Honda, dreams drive us to provide innovative mobility products for the benefit of mankind and the environment. Honda Motor Company’s founder, Soichiro Honda, inherently bore a challenging spirit and resilient determination to explore development of innovative technologies. This man simply dreamt of creating personal mobility for everyone. After decades of dedication and hard work, Honda Motor Company is currently one of the largest engine manufacturers in the world. As the saying goes, “Great power comes with great responsibility,” and so, Honda is dedicated in developing products and technologies that have minimal impact on the environment.
Wake-up call
Greenhouse effect, waste disposal challenges and depletion of natural resources are just some of the global environmental problems that have been an international issue since the 1990s. Majority of the scientists agree that global warming is already happening as a result of mankind’s activities. Dramatic increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere increases temperature. This can cause glaciers to melt, sea levels to rise and animals to migrate closer to poles. That is why Honda is in continuous search for ways to enable the development of society work in harmony with the environment. Honda enhances its environmental conservation activities to become a leading company in the development and use of environmentally sound practices and products.
Environment-friendly vehicles
More than just fun to drive, Honda vehicles are engineered to comply with the stringent European Emission Standards. EURO standards set the acceptable limits of exhaust particle emissions of new vehicles. We are happy to inform everyone that all Honda vehicles are EURO 4 compliant even if Philippine regulations only mandates EURO 1 compliance. Driving a Honda does provide a sense of social responsibility to the environment.
In support to the government’s call for responsible use of energy resources, Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. initiated a partnership with the Department of Energy to complement information, education and communication campaign on hybrid technology by formally turning over a Civic Hybrid vehicle last April 2006. Hopefully, this will help the government in formulating policies that will lead to better appreciation of hybrid technology and ultimately lead to its introduction in the Philippines.
Beyond making quality vehicles
Aside from our products, Honda Cars Philippines, Inc.’s (HCPI) environment conservation efforts are reflected in our manufacturing process and the individual efforts of the associates.
Our manufacturing plant in Sta. Rosa, Laguna features state-of-the-art treatment facilities to ensure safe disposal of waste materials. The wastewater treatment facility provides thorough recycling and decontamination of used water. Treated water is then directed to a specially built pond with live fish in it. The live fish proves that the treated water is already safe for living creatures and for flushing to Laguna de Bay. For these efforts, HCPI has earned ISO 14001 certification for responsible environment management and the Macli-ing Dulag Environmental Achievement Award.
As for the solid wastes, Honda uses Universal Carbonizer treatment facility to process solid waste into carbon without emitting carbon dioxide. It oxidizes waste without using fire and emitting smoke. Other packaging materials like styrofoam are also processed and compacted for recycling. A crate of styrofoam can be compacted in 2 ingots.
Concern for the environment is not only evident in our assembly plant but in the hearts of our Honda associates. Every year since 2002, Honda associates troop to La Mesa Dam Watershed to plant Philippine indigenous trees as an answer to Bantay Kalikasan’s plea for the reservoir’s rehabilitation. For five years now, Honda associates have already planted over 5,000 trees within a 13-hectare badly damaged forest.
Honda is also active in preserving marine life particularly the corals off the coast of San Juan, Batangas. In cooperation with Project Aware Foundation and PNP Divers Association, scuba divers assemble to clean up coastal waters and install mooring buoys. Boatmen can now tie their boats on these buoys instead of dropping anchors. Heavy anchors scrape and destroy fragile corals underneath. Studies show that the growth rate of corals is really slow. A meager centimeter of massive corals takes one year to grow.
Global efforts
Honda takes pride in leading the world in developing and manufacturing cleaner and more fuel-efficient engines. With the CVCC low emission engine, Honda’s engine in the early 1970’s was the first in the world to comply with the US Clean Air Act. Over the next few years, Honda built a solar-powered vehicle to aid future applications of electric power in vehicle design. In 1997, Honda introduced use of natural gas with the CNG vehicle. Combining gasoline and electrical energy, Honda applied the hybrid technology in the Civic thereby creating the Civic Hybrid. The Civic Hybrid provides optimum engine performance matched with minimal fuel use. Recent technological development brought forth fuel cell technology. The Honda FCX promises virtually zero exhaust emissions.
We believe in the power of dreams. As Soichiro Honda says, “Some dream to escape reality, some to change it forever.” Honda continues to lead the way in developing new technological innovations for a cleaner future. We invite you to make a bold step and start caring for the environment’s welfare and for future generations to come.