Our Green Team at Motorama Toyota
Sustainability in the dealership, is that possible?
Yes it is and Motorama Toyota Moorooka and Hillcrest have a strong commitment to doing our part in sustainability within the automotive industry.
We have formed a committed team for our Toyota Moorooka and Hillcrest Dealership, who will through monthly green activities proactively try to reduce our waste and make better choices in our everyday dealings.
November Update: Reducing Waste in Our Dealerships
"Every Waste has its Place"
As part of our 2024 sustainability goal to achieve a 10% reduction in waste across both dealerships, our Green Team identified three targeted initiatives to address specific areas of waste management.
Our Waste Initiatives
Initiative 1: Moorooka – Eliminating Single-Use Water Bottles
In April 2024, we installed a Zip Tap in our customer lounge at Moorooka, making fresh, filtered water readily available and allowing us to eliminate single-use plastic water bottles entirely. This simple yet effective change has reduced plastic waste while providing a sustainable hydration option for our customers.
Initiative 2: Sustainable Uniform Recycling with Shred-X
As part of our commitment to sustainability, we partnered with Shred-X to recycle old, branded uniforms securely. Shred-X offers a sustainable uniform destruction service that ensures old uniforms are responsibly disposed of and securely destroyed.
Between June and mid-October, we placed Shred-X bins in both dealerships, encouraging our team to deposit outdated uniforms during our uniform changeover. To engage our team, we ran an internal contest, inviting staff to guess the total weight of recycled uniforms. Winners received orange-themed hampers, a nod to Shred-X brand colour.
With confirmation from Sonia at Shred-X, we proudly recycled 31 kilograms of uniforms between our locations. Congratulations to Luke, our Hillcrest New Cars Sales Manager, and Tom, our Used Cars Sales Manager, who won the hampers for their recycling efforts!
Initiative 3: Celebrating Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week with our Partner Cleanaway
What is National Recycling Week?
Back since recycling bins were just a small black tub, Planet Ark has been helping Australians recycle right. National Recycling Week (NRW) is one of Planet Ark’s flagship campaigns and every year aims to educate and empower people to do the right thing when they’re at the bin.
Since the campaign was established in 1996, we have held it every year during the second week of November. This year, NRW will be from 11 - 17 November, 2024.
Our education also focuses on the waste hierarchy – reduce, reuse, recycle - to minimise strain on finite resources.
How can a Dealership take part in National Recycling Week?
Early in the year it became clear that our Waste Stickers in the Customer Lounges and outside areas were not clear enough as what rubbish needed to go into which waste bin. IN Q1 and Q2 our Green Team conducted several Waste audits of the commingled, general waste and paper and cardboard bins it became clear there was constant contamination of the individual bins in customer facing areas. Our Staff areas bin showed no contamination.
After an internal Kaizen the solution was to re-sticker the Waste Bins with clear visuals and colour coding. Working with our Waste Management Partner Cleanaway they personalised Waste Bin Stickers for our specific Waste Bin Sizes in the Customer Lounges and aligned them with the general colour scheme. Conducting several Waste audits after the Sticker changeover we can see a clear improvement in the bins in our customer facing areas.
To support the new bin stickers, we are also running a “All Waste has its place” Awareness campaign in our Customer Lounge with Posters and resources for correct recycling. We will continue to monitor this situation.
October Update: Saving Energy in Our Dealership
Small Steps Can Make a Big Difference!
At Moorooka and Hillcrest, our operations are powered by energy every day, from servicing nearly 80 cars daily to lighting up our customer waiting areas.
Whether it’s the warmth of our coffee for customers or the technology that keeps our service team connected, energy is a vital part of our daily routine.
To enhance our commitment to sustainability, we have set an ambitious goal: a 10% reduction in energy consumption across our locations.
How will we achieve this?
Quarterly Energy Assessments
Internal Checklist Implementations
Team Engagement Campaign
September Update: Conserving Water in Our Dealership
A Challenging but Necessary Commitment
Managing water usage in a busy dealership like ours is no easy task.
With around 80 cars serviced each day, every aspect of our operations demands water. From new several daily vehicle deliveries and customer interactions over coffee and tea, to the Finance team's refreshments during quotes, water is a constant requirement.
At our Moorooka and Hillcrest locations, we have set an ambitious goal: a 10% reduction in water usage.
To reach this goal, our Green Team has implemented several initiatives:
Quarterly Water Assessments
We are introducing a comprehensive "Whole Facility" Water Saving Checklist.
This checklist will guide our quarterly reviews, helping us identify and seize opportunities to reduce water usage across our dealerships.
Team Engagement Campaign
We are launching an internal campaign to promote water conservation.
Posters featuring tips and best practices from Waterwise Queensland will be displayed in staff areas, reminding everyone of the importance of saving water.
Customer Awareness Campaign
Our commitment extends to our customers.
We will place informative posters in bathrooms, lounges and kitchens that encourage water-wise behaviours.
Ongoing Monitoring & Reporting
Since Q2 2024, our Green Team has been closely monitoring our water usage.
Regular updates ensure we stay accountable and transparent in our conservation efforts.
We have also placed water-saving tips and tricks in our customer lounges, bathrooms, and staff areas to keep water conservation top of mind for everyone.
The Waterwise Queensland resources have been incredibly helpful in shaping our approach. Have a look here:
We will have a clearer picture of our progress by November, so stay tuned for updates on our water-saving journey!
August Update: Reaching New Heights with Foodbank Queensland
Our 2024 Volunteer Journey
At the start of 2024, we set a bold challenge for ourselves: to partner with Foodbank Queensland and pack 720 hampers for children in need across the state.
By August, our second team of dedicated Toyota staff took on the task with enthusiasm, packing an astounding 400 hampers—well above our target for the day!
The day was filled with laughter, camaraderie, and a shared determination to make a difference. Once everyone found their rhythm on the production line, there was no stopping us. Our team, comprising the Dealer Principal, New Car Sales Managers, Sales Consultants, Fleet Manager, Wholesale Manager, Marketing Coordinators, Parts Manager, and Customer Relations Manager from both Moorooka and Hillcrest, worked seamlessly together, making it a day to remember.
Did our Dealer Principal end up in the wastepaper bin? Absolutely.
Did we leave the warehouse feeling like rockstars? Without a doubt.
Do we support Foodbank Queensland in other meaningful ways? Yes, indeed.
Last week Motorama hosted our annual Charity Golf day. A day where our staff, key suppliers and fleet customers come together for a game of golf and more importantly raise funds for our community partners Foodbank Queensland.
Thanks to the generosity of everyone in attendance we raised $18,000 for Foodbank! This will go a long way in helping provide meals to those in need.
July Update: Motorama Toyota's Green Team Joins Yeronga State High School for Schools Tree Day
A Day of Planting and Learning
Our Green Team representatives had the incredible opportunity to join the students and teachers of Yeronga State High School for Schools Tree Day.
This event was a perfect blend of community spirit, education, and sustainability.
Supporting Local Biodiversity
We proudly sponsored a beehive with native stingless bees for the school's community garden, thanks to Ian from A Green Soul.
Later this term, Ian will be giving a talk to the students about the vital role these little powerhouses play in our ecosystem.
A Collaborative Effort for a Greener Future
The goal for School Tree Day was to plant a variety of bee-friendly plants, including herbs, flowers, and trees.
Yeronga State High School provided a Wishlist of plants to support the bees, and the Schools Sustainability Captains, Scarlet and Ben, planned the day.
Contributions from Motorama Toyota Moorooka
We supplied a wide array of seedlings, flowers, and trees for the event:
Seedlings: Tomato varieties, spring onions, basil, lettuce varieties, spinach varieties, capsicum, mint.
Flowers: Westringia varieties, Callistemon varieties, Grevillea varieties, lavender varieties, Buddleja varieties, Osteospermum varieties, kangaroo paws, Hardenbergia, Xerochrysum, Abelia, Brachysome, Passiflora, Banksia.
Trees: Orange, lime, passion fruit, pawpaw
Engaged and Enthusiastic Students
The students were enthusiastic and upbeat as they planted the bee-friendly flora. Their positive energy was infectious, and they quickly got to work, making the day a great success.
We had so many conversations about gardens, cooking, Bees, cars, the fact that Paul Walker drives a Toyota Supra in Fast and the Furious, work opportunities at a Dealership (yes, we might have recruited the next generation of mechanics and sales and service team members!) and what Toyota has to do with National Tree Day.
The Students are bright and witty – we loved it.
Stay Tuned for More
We are excited to soon share a podcast recorded with the school's Sustainability Captains, Scarlet and Ben, discussing National Tree Day.
Scarlet and Ben took the lead in the communication and the result is our very first Podcast! Stay tuned for its release!
A Special Message
While shopping for plants, we discovered a little rock in a Westringia plant with a cute face and the words "You rock" written on it. This rock was clearly meant for our friends at Yeronga State High School – because you do rock!
Thank You!
A huge thank you to everyone who made Schools Tree Day an amazing experience.
Scarlet, Ben, Haney, Sabina, Jodie, Katie, all students - your positivity in this space, can do attitude and dedication are truly appreciated!
June Update: Preparing for National Tree Day
Did you know? Toyota has proudly been one of the main sponsors of Planet Ark’s National Tree Day for over 20 years!
Read our blog on our preparation with alongside Yeronga State High School for this year's National Tree Day.
May Update: 2024 K'gari Clean Up
In May, the Motorama Toyota Green Team invited staff and Motorama customers to volunteer in the 2024 K'gari Clean Up - the annual effort organised by the 4WD Association of Queensland to clean up the world's largest sand island.
In collaboration with ecological not-for-profit, Tangaroa Blue, the Clean Up aims to remove marine debris from the shores of K'gari and study the contents to assist in the research of this global environmental issue.
During the clean-up, staff and volunteers collected 670 kg of rubbish with the overall effort removing over six tonnes of debris from the island.
Heartfelt thanks go to all staff and customers who participated, making the weekend memorable and impactful.
April Update: Reducing Plastic Waste with Zip Taps
In 2023, our Green Team identified plastic water bottles in the Customer Lounge as a significant contributor to our waste problem.
To address this issue, we made a substantial switch to water slabs and implemented a Containers For Change bin to ensure proper recycling. This initiative not only helped us reduce waste but also enabled us to donate over $300 automatically to Foodbank Australia.
Moving into 2024
In 2024, our Green Team has set an ambitious goal of completely eliminating plastic bottles from our premises.
After thorough research, we have found a solution that caters to both hot and cold water needs: the Zip Tap.
This innovative option provides on-demand hot and cold water without generating any waste.
In summary, Zip Taps represent a practical and eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastic bottles. With benefits including reduced waste, improved freshness, and enhanced convenience, they align perfectly with our sustainability efforts.
Next time you visit our Customer Lounge, we invite you to enjoy the convenience of our Zip Tap!
March Update: Foodbank 2024 Hamper Packing
Our bond with Foodbank Queensland has deepened over the years, and our commitment to supporting their cause remains unwavering. After a successful collaboration last year, we are renewing our pledge to continue our physical volunteer support throughout 2024.
This year, we have set our sights on a lofty goal: to assemble a staggering 720 hampers through the 'Food for Kids' Program, an initiative aimed at aiding Queenslanders facing food insecurity.
In March, our first team embarked on this mission and achieved remarkable results. With dedication and teamwork, they efficiently packed 360 hampers, setting a new benchmark for productivity. Not only did this endeavour contribute significantly to our community, but it also served as a powerful team-building exercise, embodying the core values of our Motorama team.
Stay tuned for our August group and see if we can achieve our goal!
Read more about Foodbanks amazing work:
2024 Environmental Green Policy & Dealer Principal Environmental Compliance Statement
Each year, Motorama Toyota takes time to review and update its Environmental Green Policy and Dealer Principal Compliance Statement. This helps us to improve our performance and commitment to the environment while striving for positive outcomes for both nature and our organisation.
Various staff members from all walks of the organisation across both Motorama Toyota Moorooka and Motorama Toyota Hillcrest have volunteered their time to continuously review our existing policies and past performance in order to better develop and plan our future initiatives.
You can follow all our effort via our website or social media pages. Our commitment to transparency is underscored by our guaranteed action.
If you're interested in reading these documents, it's easy to get a hold of them. Just send an email to anne.tanner@motorama.com.au and she'll be happy to share the policies with you.
If you have any green suggestions please get in touch: Anne.Tanner@motorama.com.au
