autoevolution
 

Toyota Texas Opens $1 Million Visitors Center Complete with a Pollinator Garden

There’e nothing more relaxing than taking a walk in a natural garden, filled with plants and buzzing with bees. And a relaxed mind is a mind willing to spend, as more or less obscure studies have found over the years.
Toyota Texas visitors' center 10 photos
Photo: Toyota
2019 Toyota Auris Wagon Makes Spyshots Debut, Looks Promising2019 Toyota Auris Wagon Makes Spyshots Debut, Looks Promising2019 Toyota Auris Wagon Makes Spyshots Debut, Looks Promising2019 Toyota Auris Wagon Makes Spyshots Debut, Looks Promising2019 Toyota Auris Wagon Makes Spyshots Debut, Looks Promising2019 Toyota Auris Wagon Makes Spyshots Debut, Looks Promising2019 Toyota Auris Wagon Makes Spyshots Debut, Looks Promising2019 Toyota Auris Wagon Makes Spyshots Debut, Looks Promising2019 Toyota Auris Wagon Makes Spyshots Debut, Looks Promising
Starting this week, Toyota Texas’ Visitors Center will welcome its guest just like that, in a relaxing atmosphere, thanks to a 11,000 sq. ft. pollinator garden located just across the road.

The garden is the result of a $1 million investment in the center. It has been worked on by Toyota’s environmental team (yes, apparently there is such a thing) together with Texas Parks and Wildlife and the San Antonio Zoo.

The garden is filled with 250 native plants known to be among favorites for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

“We want people to know that planting just one plant that pollinators enjoy helps,” said Rob Franklin, environmental director at Toyota Texas.

"This garden is part of our commitment to protecting biodiversity and supporting local species, here in Texas and at our facilities across North America.”

The efforts the carmaker is making locally to allow pollinators easier access to their favorite plants will not stop there. Together with the San Antonio Zoo, Toyota plans to  plant pollinator gardens at six local high schools.

In addition to that, educational resources and programming will be provided for students so that they can learn the importance of pollinators.

Toyota is not the only carmaker to take such an approach when it comes to its environmental activities. Across the ocean, in Europe, Porsche too is involved in beekeeping.

At the company’s Leipzig off-road test site, Porsche introduced in the past two years some 3 million bees in the 132-hectare nature area.
These bees are expected to produce 1,000 kilograms of honey (2,200 pounds), which Porsche will be selling under the Turbienchen name at its stores.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Daniel Patrascu
Daniel Patrascu profile photo

Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories