Automaker takes ‘going green’ to heart
Renault Samsung CEO Jean-Marie Hurtiger, right, unloads items from a vehicle during a launching ceremony of the carmaker’s “Empty Your Car Trunk” campaign at a dealership in western Seoul in October of last year.
The trend is particularly noticeable in the automotive sector, which is receiving a hefty share of the blame when it comes to climate change.
In Korea, cars are responsible for around 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, leading many environmental advocates to target the industry.
But auto companies are now going out of their way to change this perception.
Citizens paste an “eco Action” sticker on their car as a sign of approval of Renault Samsung’s environmental campaign. Provided by the company
This year marks the company’s 10th anniversary, and General Manager Cheon Young-hwan said Renault Samsung is more committed than ever to the environmental cause.
“Renault Samsung is paying attention to the fact that serious climate change is threatening the quality of our lives,” Cheon said. “The company is doing its best to decrease the environmental impact of manufacturing and driving cars by using less-polluting substances, reducing carbon emissions, increasing recyclable parts and reducing noise pollution.”
The company said its “eco Action” efforts epitomize Renault Samsung’s pro-environment philosophy. The ongoing campaign, which all of the company’s employees and executives participate in, is aimed at helping consumers form driving habits that are more environmentally friendly.
To that end, the first action plan under the campaign is called “Empty Your Car Trunk,” which launched last October. The program, as the name indicates, urgers drivers to lighten the load by removing items from their cars that they don’t need to transport so they don’t waste gasoline.
The company says drivers can use 80 cubic centimeters (.02 gallons) less fuel for every 50 kilometers (31 miles) by removing 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of weight.
Assuming a person drives 10,000 kilometers a year, the average driver can save 16 liters of fuel, or about 25,600 won ($22.20) at current prices.
If all of the cars registered in Korea.
which numbered around 16 million as of 2008 . were to do that, drivers could save a total of 410 billion won a year and achieve an environmental effect similar to planting 109 million pine trees, the company said.
The company also began operating another action plan in November 2009 called “eco-driving picnic,” which provides one-on-one coaching on how to drive more efficiently to save energy and emit less carbon dioxide.
Renault Samsung said some of its parent company’s other affiliates even incorporate the local unit’s environmental efforts.
An area of the Renault Group’s Web site (http://www.journee-mondiale-environnement.renault.com) features some of the local initiatives Renault Samsung has spearheaded, including its campaign to clean the Nakdong River in Busan, which brought together both employees and citizens.
The site also highlights an environmental- awareness campaign that the company started at an elementary school in Busan.
At the same time, Renault Samsung is adopting some of the practices of its parent, such as a certification system whereby cars meeting certain standards receive an “eco2” label.
The company said the designation is given to cars made at assembly lines that have acquired ISO 14001 . an international requirement for environmental management systems . as well as to cars that emit 140 grams (5ounces) or less of carbon dioxide per kilometer and vehicles that use a certain amount of recyclable plastics.
“Renault Samsung is expecting to produce cars conforming to the group’s standards and bearing the eco2 label soon,” Renault Samsung said in a statement.
“That, along with the eco Action campaign, will create a global synergy effect for the production of eco-friendly cars.”
Lee Kyo-hyun, head of the public relations department at Renault Samsung, said other pro-environment campaigns are on the way. “Through environmental campaigns that encourage public participation, we will do our utmost in fulfilling our corporate social responsibility,” Lee said.
By Moon Gwang-lip [joe@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)