General Motors works with the Wildlife Habitat Council, a non-profit organization, to encourage the best management of the habitats and education about environment awareness at its facilities. At the facilities being rewarded, GM implements many programs to preserve the wildlife there. There are walking trails, restored prairie and wetlands, bat and duck nesting boxes, butterfly gardens, and native tree plantings. They even have rain gardens on site to control storm water runoff!
The certification programs are given to facilities that show excellence in community education about conservation. The things that these GM facilities did to garner these awards definitely showed excellence in education about conservation. The CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll, Ontario invited local schools to educational activities like creating habitats for amphibians and small mammals. They also invited the students to plant 1,800 trees and 1,500 bushes at the plant.
The Arlington, Texas Assembly Plant encouraged its community to come out for conservation awareness activities like establishing bird nesting boxes for Eastern Blue Birds. The Baltimore Operations in White Marsh, Maryland is being honored for their electric motors and two-mode hybrid drivetrains. At the Milford, Michigan Proving Ground they re-used harmless old car parts like battery covers to make wooden nesting boxes for ducks. At the Gravati, Brazil Plant they had local schools come out to plant native trees at the facility. And finally, the São José dos Campos, Brazil Plant taught students about environmental issues by incorporating theatre and music and lectures into their learning. They also offered their employees an environmental education course bi-weekly.
The Wildlife Habitat Council President, Robert Johnson, had this to say: “We find General Motors’ environmental leadership commendable and hope other companies follow their lead. WHC congratulates GM for its commitment and contributions to wildlife habitat enhancement, community outreach, and conservation education.”
The certification requirements for this program are very strict and require periodic renewal. But in return the program recognizes the most prestigious efforts of corporate sites to facilitate wildlife habitat management and environmental education. At the same time as these six new sites are being awarded their certification, six other sites have also just been granted their recertification for the Wildlife at Work and Corporate Lands for Learning programs.
Susan Kelsey, a GM Environmental Group facilities manager, had this to say: “This commitment presents significant benefits to the environment, as well as our employees. It gives them a place to find relaxation, harness creativity and have a tangible, positive impact on the local community.”
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Jessica Harmon, staff writer, 11-21-11.