Tupelo to Benefit From Toyota Volunteer Work on National Public Lands Day

HUNDREDS OF TOYOTA VOLUNTEERS WILL CLEAN AND PROTECT LOCAL LANDS

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Sep 16, 2011, 07:00 ET

TORRANCE, Calif., Sept. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 400 Toyota team members will celebrate National Public Lands Day (NPLD) on September 17, by working together to clean and protect three public areas in Tupelo; the Natchez Trace Parkway, Carver Elementary School and Tupelo High School. At Natchez Trace Parkway, volunteers will remove invasive weeds to preserve native plants, as well as clean and maintain the area and its buildings. At Carver Elementary School, Toyota volunteers will weed and mulch the school's rock garden, paint railings and remove brush, while at Tupelo High School, volunteers will remove debris from the school's grounds. Hundreds of Toyota volunteers will participate in National Public Lands Day at dozens of sites this year, from Tupelo to Portland, Oregon.

National Public Lands Day, a project of the national Environmental Education Foundation, was established in 1994 to carry on the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a program to revive communities and create opportunities for employment following the Great Depression. Now in its 18th year, National Public Lands Day draws tens of thousands of volunteers to sites across the country. The program has grown since its inception to educate Americans about critical environmental and natural resource issues and the need for shared stewardship of these valued, irreplaceable lands. Last year, 170,000 volunteers worked at more than 2,080 sites in every state, the District of Columbia and in many U.S. territories.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. has sponsored the National Public Lands Day program for the past 13 years. In addition to its sponsorship, for over a decade Toyota has also encouraged its employees to get involved in NPLD activities throughout the nation by helping to care for parks, forests, rivers, beaches, shorelines and other public lands. For the 2010 National Public Lands Day, more than 3,500 Toyota employees volunteered at 41 different public land areas in 19 states and U.S. territories.

Toyota operates under a Global Earth Charter which was set forth to promote environmental responsibility for every aspect of the company and significantly reduce the impact that Toyota's vehicles have on the planet. Sponsorship of national and regional environmental preservation projects is just one of many areas in which Toyota has proven its environmental stewardship. The company created the world's first mass-produced, clean-running gas/electric hybrid car, the Prius, whose family of vehicles now includes the current third-generation Toyota Prius and Prius Plug-in vehicle (PHV), the Prius v midsize hybrid-electric vehicle and the Prius c Concept vehicle. Additionally, both the Camry and Highlander models are also available with hybrid engines. Toyota estimates that since it was introduced, the Prius versus the average car has prevented more than nine million tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere and conserved approximately 650 million gallons of gas.

For more information about National Public Lands Day and to locate a volunteer project, please visit www.publiclandsday.org.

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"Toyota is committed to protecting our natural resources and works in a number of capacities to achieve a cleaner, healthier environment. Our team members personally contribute to the overall goal of preserving public lands for current and future generations. It gives us great pride to be a part of this year's volunteer effort," said Michael Rouse, vice president of philanthropy, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE: TM) established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing plants, including one under construction. Toyota directly employs nearly 30,000 in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design.

Toyota is committed to being a good corporate citizen in the communities where it does business and believes in supporting programs with long-term sustainable results. Toyota supports numerous organizations across the country, focusing on education, the environment and safety. Since 1991, Toyota has contributed more than $500 million to philanthropic programs in the U.S.

For more information on Toyota's commitment to improving communities nationwide, visit http://www.toyota.com/community.

About the National Environmental Education Foundation

The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) provides knowledge to trusted professionals who, with their credibility, amplify messages to national audiences to solve everyday environmental problems. Together, we generate lasting positive change. NEEF partners with professionals in health, education, media, business and public land management to promote daily actions for helping people protect and enjoy the environment. Through our primary programs - Classroom Earth, National Public Lands Day, National Environmental Education Week, Business and Environment, Earth Gauge® and Health & Environment - we offer Americans knowledge to live by. To learn more, call (202) 833-2933 or visit www.neefusa.org.

Media Contacts:
Kirsten Clausen
GolinHarris for Toyota
(213) 438-8726
[email protected]

SOURCE Toyota