Is it penance for all those old Chevrolet/GM gas-guzzlers still on the road? Forward-looking environmental stewardship? Basic good-neighborliness? A combination of all three?
Whatever the motivation, Chevy has put aside $40 million to invest in projects that will prevent 8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the air over the next few years, and the first program it will be supporting is a home weatherization project in the state of Maine.
The car-maker has announced that it has signed a letter of intent to partner with the Maine State Housing Authority to support a program that will weatherize 5,500 low-income homes.
Through MaineHousing’s Weatherization Program-which receives support from the U.S. Department of Energy and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – energy professionals will improve home insulation by blowing recycled-content insulation into walls and ceilings, replacing loose attic hatches with tight-fitting ones, sealing chimneys, insulating exposed foundations, and tuning heating systems, helping homeowners save money and energy.
An anticipated 40,000 tons of carbon dioxide will be avoided as a result-a portion of which will be credited to Chevy, in accordance with its investment (amount unnamed).
Chevy is currently soliciting proposals for carbon-saving investment proposals nationwide through its independent third-party investor, Bonneville Environmental Foundation.
“We’ve moved rapidly to get the carbon reduction investment process underway and we’ve selected an important energy efficiency project we can help make a reality,” said Rick Scheidt, executive director of Chevrolet marketing, in a statement.
He goes on to note that Chevy is committed to reducing its environmental impact, and sees projects such as Maine’s weatherization program as a way to do so while connecting with customers and communities on carbon-reducing projects that directly benefit them.
