The #FarmToCar mission is simple: replace petroleum-based plastics with plant-based materials.https://t.co/ETS8NqtqxL
— Ford Drive Green (@FordDriveGreen) May 10, 2016
Traditionally, foams are made with petroleum oil. That's the same petroleum that is made up of ancient fossilized organisms buried and pressurized deep beneath the earth for millions of years -- the same stuff that is used to fuel your car, make plastics, and do pretty much everything.
It's also the stuff that we humans may have already used more than half of, and may be causing climate change that could put Jacksonville under water in a couple hundred years.
Drilling for it, in and of itself, can cause massive environmental damage. So, wouldn't it be easier to find ways to use less? That's what Debbie Mielewski felt she had a responsibility to do, starting with Ford Motor Company.
Thanks to her tireless efforts and experimentation, Ford has been using plant-based materials in new vehicles since 2007. It began with soy-based foam -- a technology which became an instant hit when oil prices spiked to $160 a barrel.
Now, all new Ford vehicles manufactured in North America use soy foam, and many others utilize natural fibers like rice hulls, wheat straw, flax, and coconut husk.
Driving green doesn't have to mean sacrificing comfort and quality. Find out more at Coggin Ford.
