Science

Toyota Creates Flowers To Absorb Prius Manufacturing Emissions

4:53AM October 30, 2009 | Adam Frucci

What do you do when the “eco-friendly” car you’re manufacturing is actually horrible for the environment to manufacture? Re-engineer nature, obviously!

Toyota, whose Prius is easy on the environment to drive but horrible on it to make, has engineered a new type of flower to help shoulder some of the damage their factories are spitting out.

The sage derivative’s leaves have unique characteristics that absorb harmful gases, while the gardenia’s leaves create water vapour in the air, reducing the surface temperature of the factory surrounds and, therefore, reducing the energy needed for cooling, in turn producing less carbon dioxide (CO2).

Well, holy shit. That is pretty insane. [Drive via Treehugger]


Comments

  • Eeee

    October 30, 2009 at 2:04 PM

    I have referred to the Prius commercials in the US as “hippie dippie commercials” since they show a Peter Max psychdelic dreamscape where as soon as the Prieee drives everything turns into happy pretty flowers. What hogwash.

  • Gavin

    October 31, 2009 at 11:52 PM

    This is pretty awesome both from an enviro perspective, but perhaps more so from a marketing standpoint.

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