44 Environmental Projects Receive TogetherGreen Innovation Grants

Thank you Toyota for funding so many environmental projects!

 

Energy and dollar savings for churches in Phoenix, gardens for people and wildlife in rural Colorado, and restored habitat for the threatened American eel in the Hudson River are just three expected results of the 44 projects receiving a total of $1.1 million in the latest round of TogetherGreen Innovation Grants. This will mark the fourth year ofTogetherGreen funding to facilitate people-powered conservation action in urban, suburban, and rural areas. Taking place in 27 states, these projects are selected for innovation; potential gains in habitat, water, and energy conservation; and opportunities to engage new audiences in protecting the environment. TogetherGreen is funded by a $20 million grant from Toyota over five years.

"Never underestimate ingenuity and innovation. The approaches that will help us tackle the enormous environmental challenges confronting us today are going to come from unlikely and unpredictable places,” said Audubon President David Yarnold. “Each Innovation Grant project is an opportunity for Audubon to partner with local organizations to test and implement creative approaches to build healthier communities and achieve significant conservation results. And as our alliance with Toyota shows, when organizations work together, we can exponentially magnify our impact.”

Since 2008, the TogetherGreen Innovation Grants program has awarded over $4.7 million to more than 160 environmental projects nationwide. The 2011 awardees are receiving grants ranging from $5,000 - $50,000. Funds were awarded to partnerships, mostly between Audubon groups (local Chapters or programs of Audubon’s large national network) and organizations in their communities. This year’s grant projects involve more than 150 partner organizations nationwide. Many of the projects focus on engaging audiences that have traditionally been under-served by the conservation movement, from urban youth to rural ranchers.

In addition to financial support, grantees take part in workshops to strengthen their capacity to achieve conservation results, including a multi-day professional development course held at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, and online trainings throughout the year. Audubon staff provides further support, including communications assistance, which leads to more public recognition at the local, state, and national level; and grantees are networked with each other so that they can share best practices and learn from others.

Audubon’s partner groups also benefit considerably from Innovation Grants. As Molly Tsongas, director of Tatzoo, said, “We are thrilled and honored to be a recipient of this Innovation Grant. TogetherGreen is breathing new life into the conservation movement, one that I want to be part of.”

Last year’s Innovation Grantees helped tens of thousands of people take conservation action in their communities, including Hmong American Eagle Scouts who made and erected roosting towers for rapidly disappearing chimney swifts in Minneapolis, African American student teachers who learned how to involve students in conservation action in Arkansas, rural Missouri teens who restored native cane habitat in the Ozarks, and communities of faith in New York City who cleaned up beaches for horseshoe crabs and migrating birds. Grant recipients leveraged their grants several times over through matching and in-kind support, allowing them to reach more people and deliver even greater conservation results.

“The TogetherGreen program grew out of Toyota and Audobon’s joint commitment to conservation, innovation, and diversity,” said Pat Pineda, Toyota’s group vice president of national philanthropy and the Toyota USA Foundation. “This latest group of Innovation Grantees will help further the mission of TogetherGreen and serve as a catalyst for environmental change within local communities all across the country.”

There were two grants awarded to Pittsburgh-area organizations:

ORGANIZATION: THE KEYSTONE CENTER

GRANT AMOUNT: $33,000.00

Reflecting on its clear waters and gentle currents, Thomas Jefferson once referred to the Ohio River as the “most beautiful river on earth.” Just shy of 1,000 miles in length and flowing through six states, the river was once majestic—but much has changed since Jefferson admired its beauty. Urban sprawl, mining, commercial boat traffic, sewage overflows, natural gas drilling: all have affected habitat, water quality, and wildlife populations along the river. In fact, according to a recent study, 80 percent of threatened fish species and many amphibian species of concern in Pennsylvania are found in the Ohio River drainage system, suggesting this river and its tributaries are a high priority for conservation efforts.

The Keystone Center wants to harness the power of Pittsburgh’s young people to tackle the environmental and social problems dogging the river and its tributaries. It will use its Innovation Grant to launch Students for Sustainable Cities, a program grounded in scientific investigation and aligned with National Education Standards that will help middle school teachers and their students explore the ways environmental health, social well being, and economic vitality are interconnected. Students taking part in the program will work with community leaders to explore the issues affecting the river and the city, and then commit to taking action on a specific community issue of their choice.

In the end, this project will contribute to a more thriving ecosystem, as well as a more informed and engaged community working to protect it. And who knows? Maybe the words of Thomas Jefferson will ring true once again!

AUDUBON SOCIETY OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA

GRANT AMOUNT: $45,000.00

About 20 minutes west of Pittsburgh, people are hard at work transforming a former mine site – typically areas that are toxic, degraded, and off-limits to the general public – into a botanic garden featuring native habitats. They’re using green practices and processes from start to finish: recycling all of the metal waste found on the site, using solar power for irrigation, treating the acid mine drainage, and restoring native ecosystems to their former grandeur. In the coming years, Pittsburghers will be able to enjoy a beautiful botanic garden – the only one ever to be created on an abandoned mine site!

With TogetherGreen funding, the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden will transform 15 acres of the site into a native woodland habitat garden. Through a partnership with Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania and the fifty-year-old social services organization Auberle, up to 100 neglected kids will get to be part of the transformation, visiting the site on field trips, learning about native woodlands, and helping with the reclamation and restoration.

This is exactly what TogetherGreen aspires to do: transform lives and land at the same time.

For complete details about the 2011 TogetherGreen Innovation Grants projects, please visit: www.togethergreen.org/grants.

Read more: http://pressroom.toyota.com/releases/2011+togethergreen+innovation+grants.htm

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The 2012 Scion iQ…for buyers who seek to set trends instead of following them

What do you guys think of the 2012 Scion iQ? It’s set to hit the East Coast in March.

Scion has chosen to make the 2012 Scion iQ available in waves, starting with California, Scion Vice President Jack Hollis told reporters at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit on Wednesday at a ride-and-drive event.

The timetable for the Scion iQ's release is clear. It comes to Scion dealerships on the West Coast "later this fall." It will arrive in Southeast and Gulf States dealerships in the first quarter of 2012, followed by New York. The iQ launch will culminate with deliveries to the East Coast and Midwest in March.

Hollis calls the introduction of the 2012 Scion iQ to the marketplace part of an "exciting, busy time" for Scion.

"Last year we launched the all-new, second-generation tC. Better in every possible way, it was well received by Scion owners – both new and existing – when it reached Scion dealerships last September," Hollis said. "The tC immediately increased showroom traffic … contributing strongly to sales increases for all three Scion models. And it continues to have the youngest median-age buyer in the industry. Shortly after launching the tC, we switched gears to talk about another very sporty car for Scion.

"A few months ago at the N.Y. auto show, we unveiled the FR-S, a sports-car concept that will rewrite the definition of what an affordable sports car can be. FR-S stands for Front-engine… Rear-wheel drive … Sport. But you’ve probably heard that I think it could stand for 'Friggin’ Really Sweet.' While we’re still a few months away from really getting into the FR-S, I’m personally pumped up about where this sports car will take Scion. It’s a fun to drive ... no, scratch that ... it’s an 'Awesome to Drive' car that offers performance that hard-core driving fanatics can only find in a rear-wheel drive. This car will be the perfect daily driver AND weekend warrior."

Hollis contends the tC and FR-S are helping to launch what he calls a “new dimension” of Scion. While both of those cars are adding a big dose of adrenaline with a young buyer who aspires for even more, the 2012 Scion iQ pushes Scion into another, very different direction.

"When we debuted the xB eight years ago it created an iconic vehicle that in many ways symbolically represented what Scion was in the early years of the brand," Hollis said. "And because it was a vehicle that grew to be more than 'just a car' to its owners, it has been imitated quite a bit. But what has made it unique and never been duplicated, is the special connection that xB owners have for their car.

"The iQ will do the same as it ushers in a 'New Urbanism' – a vehicle for a more progressive buyer whose transportation needs and desires are changing. While it will expand the Scion family to a fourth member, and the first all-new model since the tC launched in 2004, it will mean much more than that to Scion. It’s a premium micro-subcompact that will no doubt expand Scion into yet another 'dimension.' ”

Hollis says the iQ will "inherit the Scion DNA of authenticity, community and personalization." The Scion brand, he argues, "has accomplished exactly what the company hoped for when it launched. We're an investment in Toyota’s future."

There are at least four reasons for that:

1. More than 70% of Scion owners are new to the Toyota family.

2. The new buyers brought into the family are kept. Eight out of the top 10 vehicles that Scion owners trade into are either Toyota or Scion vehicles.

3. Scion buyers are the youngest in the industry.

4. Scion has become the most ethnically diverse among non-luxury brands sold to Americans.

"Scion has always been about setting trends that really fit with people’s new attitudes, new desires and new lifestyles," Hollis said. "And that’s really one of the reasons that the iQ will be a Scion here in the U.S. What the iQ is all about fits in with Scion, and it fits in with urbanites who will take it home with them and make it a part of their lives.

"The iQ will be about big ideas ... concentrated. It will take its own unique approach to urban mobility, with a style that will turn heads. The iQ will define a new, premium micro-subcompact segment with a level of innovation that makes a car of this size possible.

"It will attract youthful trend-setters who desire innovation above all else. The iQ is the future – a small footprint that appeals to their sense that a car should not be any bigger than it really has to be and one that is easy to drive and park in the city."

The iQ has stuff on it that appeals to smart, young people.

"I’m talking about a car that is small in size, but big on innovation," Hollis said. "A car that uses intelligence instead of sacrifice, giving owners both an unparalleled car of its size but with comfort, safety and entertaining features. ... And its size doesn’t forgo safety. It’s amazing that a car this small not only has an industry-best 11 standard airbags, including the world’s first rear-window airbag, but it also has all of the safety and security features that drivers want, like the Star Safety System, Vehicle Stability Control and traction control, among others."

The iQ name is a combination of “intelligent Quality,” the result of combining the best technology in a small, clever package. The “i” also stands for “individuality,” with a style that is unique and makes a statement about its owner. The “i” also represents the “innovation” needed to create a dynamic vehicle in a 10 foot-long package.

"The iQ’s concept really began by envisioning who its customers would be and what kind of designs would interest them," Hollis said. "We did focus group interviews of young urbanites who are fashion conscious, consider themselves trend setting rather than following, and like a level of sophistication in their lives.

"When designing a car that would ultimately be 10 feet long, we had to make sure it didn’t appear unstable or weak. It had to have a sense or strength and stability. This led to the second iQ design concept of Stability and Dynamism. To achieve it, we thought outside the normally prescribed proportions for a car and gave it ... a 'perfect imbalance.' The iQ has a broad, stable look with a width of 66.1 inches and a height of 59.1 inches, to go with the 120.1 inches in length. And the wheels are placed as far as possible at the four corners of the iQ."

The front passenger seat is off-set from the driver’s seat, giving the rear passenger good legroom. Thin front seatbacks enhance rear legroom.

Space between the front seats is greater than in a Toyota Yaris, and comparable to a Toyota Corolla.

"While we wanted the iQ to be a car that screams 'fun' in its styling, it had to be a car that was enjoyable and easy to drive," Hollis said.

The 1.3-liter engine with VVT-i, paired with a smooth Continuously Variable Transmission, provide the iQ "with pleasurable driving dynamics, impressive fuel efficiency of 37 mpg and low emissions," Hollis said.

"With a turning radius that is under 13 feet, it has outstanding maneuverability in tight alleyways, parking garages and when parallel parking in congested areas. The iQ’s wide stance for its size and aerodynamic shape also give it great highway stability."

The iQ, Hollis says, "is a revolutionary idea on the efficient use of space in a vehicle. Its small size contrasts with its large capability ... the world’s smallest 4-seater that gives people the flexibility they never thought possible,. with the ability to take friends and gear where they need to go."

A 50 / 50 fold down rear seat and hatchback access provide room for groceries, gym bags, suitcases or sports equipment. The iQ will be mono-spec, presenting a simple purchase with a mix of standard features and benefits.

"The iQ will be easily personalized," Hollis said. "With over 25 accessories, we hope that no two iQs will be identical. To give you a better idea of how owners will personalize their iQs, some of the accessories available at dealerships include audio, fog lights, alloy wheels, a lowering kit and a rear spoiler."

Before the iQ goes on sale, there will be a “I Am Going to Be Big” pre-launch campaign that will hit television and print.

"As the iQs get closer to arriving at dealerships, we’ll go into launch mode with a campaign called 'iQ … Therefore I Am.' These spots will focus on the car’s features and highlights, calling out actual figures such as turning radius," Hollis said. "This is something that is really new for Scion, and the iQ is the perfect car to experiment with.

"We’re really having a lot of fun with this car as it takes the brand into new places. It will give us a chance to experiment and talk to people whom we’ve never talked to before. And we’ve already heard from some of our current owners, who’ve really been excited and are looking forward to the iQ."

The iQ will come to Scion dealerships on the West Coast "later this fall." It will arrive in Southeast and Gulf States dealerships in the first quarter of 2012, followed by New York. The iQ launch will complete in March, when it comes to the East Coast and Midwest.

Read more http://www.torquenews.com/1063/2012-scion-iq-coming-soon-dealership-near-you

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2012 Toyota Sienna van is versatile, affordable

Yes, there are more reasons to buy a Sienna than its commercials, awesome though they are. Check out what Torque news has to say about the 2012 model!

“The third-generation 2012 model, developed at the Toyota Technical Center outside Detroit in Ann Arbor, Mich., is assembled at Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Indiana. Prices start at $25,060 and exceed $40,000 for well-equipped models.

The Toyota Sienna (pictured) offers an engine choice of between 4 and 6 cylinders and is the only van in its segment to offer an all-wheel drive option.

Toyota says the Siennaaims to provide "comfort, versatility, style and fuel efficiency."

The 2012 Sienna offers a choice between a 3.5-liter V6 or 2.7-liter 4-cylinder engine. Both engines on the family van offer the latest in efficient, lightweight technology, including Dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence, roller rocker arms and an Acoustically Controlled Induction System that changes the intake tract length to optimize torque.

The 3.5-liter V6 generates 266 horsepower with mileage ratings of 18 mpg city / 24 mpg highway. It gets 16 mpg city / 22 mpg highway on all-wheel-drive models. It also has a 3,500-pound towing capacity.

The 2.7-liter 4-cylinder engine produces responsive power (187 horsepower at 5800 rpm) and delivers fuel-efficiency ratings of 19 mpg city and 24 mpg on the highway. Both engines are matched with the Sienna’s electronically controlled 6-speed transmission with sequential shift. That provides a smooth gear-shift feeling, quiet performance and a lightweight size.

The shape of the new Toyota Sienna is functional. A coefficient of drag of .306 is low for the class and a major factor in providing a quiet interior and miserly fuel economy.

The 2012 Toyota Sienna comes in Sienna base, LE, SE, XLE and Limited models. All-wheel drive is available with the V6 on LE, XLE and Limited vans. Others are front-wheel drive.

The base and LE list of standard equipment includes cruise, Daytime Running Lights with manual on / off feature, tri-zone air conditioning, 6- or 8-way-adjustable driver’s captain’s chair, power windows with auto up / down and jam protection, AM / FM / CD player with four speakers, XM compatibility, auxiliary input jack, power door locks, remote keyless entry and three 12-volt outlets.

The LE V6 upgrade adds as standard dual power-sliding doors and power rear door, an 8-way power driver seat with power lumbar support, electrochromatic rearview mirror with Homelink, multi-information display with backup camera, rear window sunshades, AM / FM / mp3 CD player, integrated Sirius XM satellite radio capability with 90 day trial subscription, auxiliary audio jack, USB port with iPod connectivity, and hands-free phone capability and music streaming via Bluetooth, and steering wheel audio controls. Those features can be added to the 4-cylinder model as an option package.

The XLE builds on the LE, adding leather-trimmed seats, tilt / slide moonroof, an anti-theft system with engine immobilizer and heated front seats. Optional XLE equipment includes a 10-speaker JBL premium sound system with voice-activated DVD Navigation and Panorama rear camera with integrated back-up guides, XM NavTraffic capability with 90-day trial subscription, a backseat Dual View Entertainment system, rear sonar, Smart Key and an auxiliary audio jack and USB port with iPod connectivity.

The Limited is the luxury model. Standard equipment includes second-row Lounge Seating and a power 60 / 40 Split & Stow third-row seat, front and rear parking sonar, Smart Key that also operates on both sliding doors, Safety Connect and North America’s first independently powered, slide-opening dual moonroofs. Options include what is available on the XLE plus rain-sensing wipers and a Pre-Collision System with Dynamic Radar Cruise Control.

The Sienna SE's smoked taillights make a distinctive statement. The SE sits lower on a sport-tuned suspension, for sharp handling, and it comes with exclusive instrumentation and unique interior colors and trim.

The available rear-seat Dual View Entertainment Center uses two displays side-by-side to create a seamless 16.4-inch widescreen image from a single source. The system can split the screen into two individual screens, each with input from separate sources. Used as a single screen, it can be easily seen from the third row, and it can be operated from any seat via remote control. Used as two screens, the system can accommodate the preferences of two separate passengers who might want to play a video game or watch a second DVD simultaneously via auxiliary inputs.

Seven airbags are standard equipment. Active headrests are used in both front seats to help reduce the possibility of whiplash in a collision.

In case of airbag deployment or a severe rear-end collision, Automatic Collision Notification is designed to automatically call a response center. If a response agent cannot communicate with the occupants, the agent can contact the nearest emergency-services provider to dispatch assistance.”

Read more: http://www.torquenews.com/1063/2012-toyota-sienna-van-versatile-affordable

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2012 Toyota Tundra Provides Outstanding Value and Dependability in the Full-Size Pickup Segment

Check out the 2012 Toyota Tundra! Voted the “Most Dependable Large Pickup,” this truck is definitely worth paying attention to:

“The Toyota Tundra full-size pickup truck, recognized for its value and dependability, offers simplified option package selections for 2012, as well as detailed enhancements throughout the lineup. The Limited grade and available TRD Rock Warrior package both include a standard back-up camera for 2012.

The hard-working, hard-playing Tundra has been recognized for its outstanding value and dependability. IntelliChoice named the Tundra a “2011 Best Overall Value” in the full-size pickup segment, and Tundra was named “Most Dependable Large Pickup”, for the sixth year in a row in the 2011 J.D. Power & Associates Vehicle Dependability Study.

The Tundra offers three engine choices, a 270-horsepower 4.0-liter V6, a 310-horsepower 4.6-liter V8 and the 5.7-liter V8 with 381 horsepower. For 2012, all Tundras have standard heavy-duty battery, heavy-duty starter, windshield wiper de-icer, daytime running lights (DRL), front and rear mudguards, and heated, power, outside mirrors. All Tundra grade models feature standard styled steel wheels for 2012. The Tundra DoubleCab and CrewMax models offer an optional Chrome Package that includes chromed exhaust top, side mirrors, door handles and chrome-clad 18-inch steel wheels.

The 2012 Tundra is offered in two grades (Tundra and Limited), three cab styles (Regular, Double Cab and Crew Max), three wheelbase lengths (126.8, 145.7 and 164.6 inches, depending on model and configuration) and three bed lengths (78.7, 97.6 and for CrewMax only, 66.7-inches).

By combining popular equipment, Tundra’s option packages were simplified to make it easier for customers to find the right Tundra with the equipment they desire. Tundra grade Double Cab and CrewMax models now offer four streamlined packages: Convenience Package, Convenience Package with Bucket Seats, Upgrade Package and SR5 Package. Regular Cab offers four redesigned packages: SR5 Package, SR5 Upgrade Package, TRD Off-Road Package, and Color-Keyed Bumper Package.

A Tundra Work Truck Package is aimed at commercial truck buyers or customers who need a tough, no-frills truck with exceptional cargo and towing capacity. The package features heavy-duty vinyl-trimmed seating surfaces, and heavy-duty all-weather flooring; it is available in Regular and Double Cab configurations with any of the Tundra’s three engine choices. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the Platinum Package available for the Tundra CrewMax Limited model offers numerous luxury features, such as heated and ventilated front bucket seats with embroidered headrests, perforated leather-trimmed seating surfaces, power tilt/slide moonroof with sliding sunshade, and wood-grain-style interior trim.

Performance

The 4.0-liter Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC) V6 engine with Dual Independent Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) standard in Tundra Regular and Double Cab models produces 270 horsepower and 278 lb.-ft. peak torque. It is paired with a five-speed automatic transmission with uphill/downhill shift logic.

The available 4.6-liter DOHC i-Force V8 offers 310 horsepower and 327 lb.-ft. of peak torque, and the 5.7-liter DOHC i-Force V8 produces 381 horsepower and 401 lb.-ft. of peak torque. All Tundra engines feature an aluminum cylinder block and DOHC heads, along with Dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) for a broad torque curve and optimized efficiency.

The Acoustic Control Induction System (ACIS) in all the engines uses butterfly valves inside the intake manifold that switch the length of the intake runners in two stages, based on engine RPM and throttle angle, to optimize efficiency across the engine speed range.

Both i-Force V8 engines are teamed with a six-speed automatic transmission. A warming unit quickly brings the transmission fluid up to operating temperature to optimize cold-weather performance. Both V8 engines meet Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV II) emissions certification requirements.”

Read about the Tundra’s Handling, Ride, Safety, Design, Options, and more at http://pressroom.toyota.com/releases/2012+toyota+tundra+outstanding+value+dependability+full-size+pickup.htm?view_id=39839

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