The inspiration behind Honda's green innovation

Honda has a long-established brand vision – to be a company that society wants to exist.

It's this philosophy that has driven innovation at the company since 1956, when founder Soichiro Honda stated that "after materials are carried into the factory, the only things that should be carried out are products."

This inspirational vision is already a reality in Honda's Japanese car plants, which produce zero waste through such ingenious ideas as recycling incineration ash to make cement.

Honda's UK plant in Swindon is now well on the way to meeting that same aim of sending nothing to landfill by 2010 — currently recycling or re-using around 96 per cent of all waste generated.

Only 6kg is sent to landfill per car produced — compared to 71kg in 1994. A massive step towards an impressive goal.

Looking out for the environment may be a new concept for some companies but is something that Honda has been doing for generations.

Back in the 1960s it started producing only four-stroke marine engines. Why? Because four-stroke engines release less pollution into the water than two-stroke engines.

Today, environmental responsibility continues to extend across other products that Honda is developing.

These include a co-generation unit for use in the home; which uses natural gas to produce heat and electricity, therefore leading to significant reductions in CO2 emissions.

Honda's revolutionary FCX Clarity - described as "the most important car for 100 years"- is the world's first production fuel cell car.

Powered by hydrogen, its only emission is water, and it marks a significant step towards Honda's ultimate dream of zero emission driving.

While the FCX Clarity is currently only available in limited numbers in California and Japan; here in the UK Honda has another innovative car on the market: the Insight.

Using a combination of a petrol engine and an electric motor to improve fuel consumption, the Insight reduces CO2 emissions by around 30 per cent compared to a similar sized petrol car.

IT ALSO features an ingenious system called Eco Assist, which encourages the driver to drive more economically.

In order to help all of us to do our bit, Honda is also backing the Look After London initiative – partnering with the volunteering charity Do-it.org.uk to help put the growing army of Londoners who want to make a difference in touch with the projects which need help in our Capital.

Do-it has already matched thousands of volunteers with worthy causes – real people, making a real difference.

You can read about Londoners who give their time, skills and effort to help our local environment at www.standard.co.uk/lookafterlondon. Perhaps, like Soichiro Honda, you too will be inspired to make a difference.

AS HONDA'S campaign says: "Let's go do, keep doing and do some more". This is something that Honda has been doing for more than 50 years – and will continue to do with further innovation. Next year, for example, sees the launch of the world's first sports hybrid, the CR-Z.

These are significant steps by a global company – but even small steps taken by ordinary people can make a difference.

Honda believes that if we all do something – whether it's driving a hybrid car, planting trees, clearing up river banks, or simply recycling our rubbish– we can all do our bit. So what are you waiting for?

This is your chance to DO IT.

AS HONDA'S CAMPAIGN SAYS:

Let's go do, keep doing and do some more.' So what are you waiting for? Every step or every mile we take, can make a difference.

HELP A GOOD CAUSE

Find out what it feels like to drive an affordable Hybrid by taking a test drive in an Insight from one of Honda's London dealers and Honda will donate £5 to a worthy cause such as the BTCV, which supports 300,000 volunteers in the UK to take part in more than 50,000 practical projects to help their environment — real action, leading to real results.