...which goes by the name of Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA). Built in 1989, SIA has steadfastly made improvements in its production methods that cut down and (in 2004) eliminated the generation of landfill waste entirely. Yes, this auto factory, which makes anywhere from 110,000 to more than 200,000 vehicles a year, adds absolutely nothing to our nation's rapidly filling landfills.

That "nothing" is really something, particularly since SIA produces more than half of the Subaru Legacy, Outback and Tribeca vehicles for the U.S. market. (Curiously, Toyota Camrys are also made here, thanks to an agreement between the two carmakers.) What's more, all but the Tribeca are PZEV-rated vehicles, meaning these cars have very low emissions, too.

Nature Park or Auto Factory?
Drive up to Subaru of Indiana Automotive and you'd swear you were entering a nature park. In essence, you would be, as the 832-acre campus is home to a fair number of beavers, deer, coyotes and blue herons. This place is truly green, as lush grass and heavily wooded areas dominate, complementing the various ponds scattered about.

OK, so its pristine, furry creatures dig it and it's actually been declared a natural habitat — the only auto factory in the U.S. to achieve that honor. That's fine, but what about the factory itself? Look beyond the flora and fauna for an up-close-and-personal plant tour, and unless you're the reincarnation of the Grinch, your heart will likely be filled with gladness.

A Gerbil Generates More Waste Than This Place
We cannot overstate this — Subaru of Indiana's plant was the first "zero landfill" auto factory in the U.S. Fully 99 percent of waste from the plant is recycled, and the remaining 1 percent is turned into electricity. Obviously, "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" — the mantra of greenies everywhere — has taken on religious importance here. The first two actions go hand in hand. If you can reuse something, then landfill waste will be reduced, and less will need to be manufactured in the first place.

SIA's solvent recovery system is a great example of this process. After use, paint solvents are broken down into their base elements and reused repeatedly. Other examples are the massive plastic trays used to transport engines, and the thousands of brass lug nuts used to temporarily secure the wheels to the cars. read more...