Tag Archives: environment

ToyotaUk

In Celebration of Black History Month: Two Toyota Employees Reflect on the Power of Diverse Leadership and Volunteerism

At Toyota, cultivating an surroundings the place staff can accomplish their skilled targets and have their private endeavors acknowledged and supported is a precedence.

From the corporate’s enterprise partnering teams (BPGs) to its neighborhood outreach applications, there are quite a few alternatives to share, study, develop, and provides again. It’s one of many causes Pamela Bass and Terence Proctor are proud to work at Toyota.

Amplifying Diverse Leadership
After seeing the constructive influence the African American Coalition (AAC) had on Toyota Kentucky (TMMK), Bass knew that she wished to hitch the group.

Bass, who’s been with the corporate for practically 30 years, works with the Body Weld Production group. She is an AAC member and presently serves because the group’s senior supervisor advisor.

She stated the group’s mission is to assist and help the event of African Americans, whereas additionally bridging the hole between African American communities and the corporate by way of neighborhood outreach.

The AAC’s imaginative and prescient is to make sure African American staff are represented and acknowledged in any respect ranges of the corporate and function key contributors to the success of Toyota.

“Diversity in leadership is crucial as it brings a greater depth of experience and perspective, fostering innovation and a better understanding of employees,” Bass says. “Diversity in leadership brings enhanced innovation, creates smarter decisions and inclusive leaders, and advances company culture while improving employee satisfaction. Diverse leadership will also attract diverse talent and foster better working relationships.”

Making Time To Give Back
Giving again is a typical thread all through Toyota that extends past BPGs — it’s woven into the material of the corporate. It resonates and rings true for Terence Proctor, a web site companies supervisor at Toyota West Virginia. The longtime Toyota worker is enthusiastic about volunteering his time to assist those that are deprived in his neighborhood — and world wide.

“While growing up, I was taught that no one makes it in life on their own, especially the disadvantaged,” he says. “I am drawn to paying back the help I received growing up.”

When it involves volunteering, Proctor chooses to dedicate his time helping the smallest members of society: youngsters. So, he gravitates towards alternatives that immediately help youngsters, like colleges, orphanages, meals applications and housing.

Proctor plans two or three mission journeys a yr to help youngsters. Last yr, he supported the schooling of youngsters by establishing pc labs in area people facilities and colleges.

“Some volunteer efforts span a weekend, and others cover a couple of weeks, but I support education programs throughout the year,” Proctor says.

Common Ground 
Bass and Proctor imagine Toyota supplies the help and assets to assist them accomplish their skilled and private targets. Whether it’s inspiring different organizations to implement extra range initiatives or encouraging staff to volunteer within the communities Toyota serves, the corporate is constantly working to enhance entry to alternatives.

While making an influence is at all times the driving drive behind progress, Bass acknowledges that breaking boundaries isn’t at all times simple. She typically refers to Shirley Chisholm’s (the primary African American girl to be elected to the United States Congress) well-known quote for inspiration: “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”

Originally printed on February 29, 2024

Motorsport

Paris Votes In Favor Of Tripling Parking Fees For Heavy Cars

The European Federation for Transport and Environment revealed a research earlier this 12 months that confirmed SUVs are becoming too large for European roads and parking areas. With air pollution from SUVs additionally a priority, local weather activists insist there ought to be restrictions in opposition to house owners of cumbersome automobiles.

The outcomes of a referendum held over the weekend in France’s capital present that some individuals are okay with making the lives of SUV house owners a bit more durable. Parisians have voted in favor of successfully tripling parking charges to €18 (almost $20) per hour within the metropolis heart and €12 (nearly $13) in the remainder of Paris. These modifications will not apply to residential parking.

It ought to be talked about that the choice will not solely impression crossovers and SUVs. Owners of standard vehicles weighing 1,600 kilograms (3,527 kilos) or extra should pony up the additional money. Electric automobiles tipping the scales at over 2,000 kg (4,409 lbs) may even be affected. Those who stay or work in Paris will likely be exempt, as will these affected by disabilities. Additionally, taxi drivers, well being employees, and tradespeople will not be impacted by the result of the referendum.

Only round 5.7 % of voters, about 78,000 folks out of a complete of 1.3 million, went to one of many 39 voting cubicles. Parisians voted 54.55 % in favor of tripling parking charges for heavier vehicles. Despite the low turnout, the choice is anticipated to come back into impact as early as September 2024.

The referendum final 12 months in April to ban rental electrical scooters wasn’t in style both, with solely about 103,000 folks voting, accounting for simply seven % of registered voters. Despite the low turnout, rented electrical scooters had been subsequently banned within the City of Lights.

The new referendum held over the weekend is projected to impression about 10 % of automobiles in Paris, as said by the town’s deputy mayor answerable for transport, David Belliard. It’s protected to imagine that somebody who owns an enormous luxurious SUV reminiscent of a Mercedes GLE or a BMW X5 will not have a problem with paying an hourly fee of €18 as a substitute of €6.

That stated, the result of the voting may affect different capitals to take related motion. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo believes that some European cities will likely be inspired to take related measures, stating:

“Parisians have made a clear choice… other cities will follow. We’re proud of having posed an eminently environmental question at a time when the environment is presented as the source of all evil. It’s a form of resistance here in Paris to this very concerning movement.”

Artificial Intelligence

The Future Of Fighter Jets: AI And Unmanned Aerial Combat

In such a unstable atmosphere, it is no surprise that nations are combating to determine inner norms, useful roles, and infrastructure to take advantage of out of some great benefits of unmanned fight. In some ways, this push in the direction of AI-powered unmanned fight in fighter jets additionally means evolving methods for securing autonomous techniques, in addition to studying to defend in opposition to them as effectively. The rising dependence on synthetic intelligence poses new dangers for navy items, particularly when mitigating ongoing and potential cybersecurity threats.

Among the shortfalls of the U.S. Air Force Weapon Systems, the Rand Corporation shares in its analysis temporary that management and accountability for navy system cybersecurity is commonly unfold over a number of organizations. Because of this, it cites that it might probably result in challenges in decision-making and accountability. However, because of the unpredictability of cybersecurity as an entire, it is important to grasp that the United States is not the one nation that has this drawback.

Additionally, it is vital to grasp that though algorithms can streamline decision-making processes, in addition they lack the human ingredient of flexibility. In some instances, split-second decision-making based mostly on intuition is a vital side of the preservation of life.

Because of the transnational nature of synthetic intelligence, understanding its challenges in addition to alternatives is important to drafting regulation, earlier than its capabilities develop into out of hand. In tandem with different rising applied sciences, similar to biotechnology, robotics, and quantum computing, we have barely scratched the floor of navy functions in AI, together with its penalties.

Energy

How New York’s New MLS Stadium Plans To Go Fully Electric

The United Nations Environment Programme reports, “Building and managing a sport facility and operating an event uses energy and can contribute to air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste generation, as well as to ozone-layer depletion, habitat and biodiversity loss, soil erosion and water pollution.”

In 2016, FIFA confirmed its pledge to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UN FCCC) during COP26 to produce net zero emissions by 2040. In line with this, FIFA promoted the Qatar World Cup as the first climate-neutral tournament in 2022. However, a year later, Reuters cited reports from the Swiss Fairness Commission, which claimed FIFA’s carbon neutrality claims during the 2022 World Cup were misleading. Carbon Market Watch estimated that the total carbon footprint of permanent stadiums constructed in Qatar could have amounted to 1.6 MtCO2e, eight times more than initially reported.

Among professional sports arenas, per Forbes, the Climate Pledge Arena became the first arena in the world to earn net zero carbon certification in 2023. Certified by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), the home of the Seattle Krakens required a massive overhaul in its design to achieve this, such as ripping out natural gas piping and reinventing its cooling and heating processes.

By proving that fully electric stadiums are possible, NYCFC could potentially provide a framework for how to successfully build communities around sustainable sports arenas from scratch.

Car Accessories

5 Simple Tips For Maximizing Audio Quality In Your Car

Although your car provides a sequestered space, it tends not to be completely soundproof. Various ambient noises from the road and surroundings, as well as sound from the speakers, can impact the quality of your music. Implementing noise reduction measures can help address this issue.

One effective solution is to install special foam paneling in specific areas of your car to reduce ambient noise from the road, containing the sound within the car and allowing you to fully enjoy your music. Luxury car manufacturers often use this technique to create a quieter driving experience.

The process of installing the foam requires some modification, such as removing surface materials like door panels or carpet to attach it. However, it is a relatively straightforward process – simply remove the surface, apply the foam, and reattach the surface. Depending on your vehicle, this step may require more effort compared to the other tips on this list.

BMW

BMW Group maintains successful course

BMW Group continues to maintain a successful course of profitable growth in a volatile business environment. In the third quarter of 2023, the company saw a solid increase in sales, delivering a total of 621,699 premium automobiles. The nine-month period saw a total of 1,836,563 units delivered. This growth was accompanied by a strong financial performance, with an EBT margin of 11.9% for the first nine months.

The company is on track to deliver an EBIT margin in the Automotive Segment of between 9-10.5% for the full year, driven by higher-priced models and fully-electric vehicles. Battery-electric vehicles accounted for 15.1% of total sales by the third quarter, already meeting the 15% target planned for the full year. Over the nine-month period, the percentage of BEVs climbed to 13.4%.

The growth trend for BMW continued in many of the world’s automotive markets, with notable growth in Germany, the US, and Europe. The fourth quarter is expected to further boost growth with the launch of new models.

Group revenues increased slightly in the third quarter to €38,458 million, with significant growth in the year to the end of September to €112,530 million. The Group’s research and development spending also increased to €5,223 million.

The BMW Group confirms its guidance for the rest of the year and expects stable business development. The Group forecasts overall growth for global automotive markets, particularly in Europe and the US. The BMW Group remains committed to long-term, profitable growth and is focused on digitalization, electrification, and innovation in the industry.

Technology

The Raspberry Pi Creation You’ll Want To Bring On A Hike

If you enjoy hiking and want to know your height above sea level, you can use the Raspberry Pi Pico along with the BME280 sensor. This sensor can measure air pressure, humidity, and temperature, which it will then transmit to the Raspberry Pi Pico. By using the code installed on the Pi, you can take the air pressure reading and calculate your altitude.

The reason this method works is because of gravity’s influence on air density. Gravity pulls most of the Earth’s gas close to the surface, resulting in denser air at sea level. As you ascend, the air becomes less dense and exerts less pressure on the sensor.

At sea level, air pressure is generally around 14.7 PSI, while at the summit of Mount Everest, it drops to about 4.84 PSI. When hiking on land, the pressure you experience will fall somewhere in between these values. Typically, for every 1000 feet of elevation gain, pressure drops by around 0.5 PSI. However, this rate decreases at higher altitudes. By following the correct algorithm, you can easily estimate your altitude based on the pressure reading. If you’re interested in trying this out, the Pi Pico is one of the affordable Raspberry Pi products that can be easily obtained. You can find a two-pack of these microcontrollers on Amazon for just over $12.

Smartphones

Why Did France Ban the iPhone 12 Due to Radiation Concerns?

France recently banned the iPhone 12 from being sold in the country due to concerns about its radiation levels. Apple, known for its commitment to health and the environment, responded by instructing its employees not to address customer questions about the health risks of the iPhone 12 and to emphasize its safety.

An Apple spokesperson stated that the ban was related to the testing protocol used by French regulators and not due to any safety concerns. The company assured that all its phones, including the iPhone 12, meet the SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) regulations and standards worldwide.

In response to the request made by the French minister, Apple agreed to release a software update to make the iPhone 12 compliant with the SAR testing protocols in France. The conflict arose because France modified its SAR testing protocols in 2020, the same year the iPhone 12 was launched.

To provide some context, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States has set a maximum SAR limit of 1.6 W/kg for smartphones, while the European Union (EU) allows up to 2 W/kg. To meet the French regulations, Apple simply needed to update its software to accommodate the changes in the testing protocols and ensure the phone’s radiation safety.

Space

Scientists’ Efforts to Improve Astronauts’ Sleep in Space

Our sleep patterns on Earth are influenced by our environment and a 24-hour cycle called circadian rhythms. These rhythms regulate our alertness and sleepiness, impacting various bodily functions. The cues in our environment, such as light, affect these rhythms. Light signals our bodies to wake up, while darkness signals sleep.

However, in space, there is no natural 24-hour day cycle. To address this, the International Space Station (ISS) follows Greenwich Mean Time to establish a consistent schedule for astronauts’ sleep and wake cycles. Nevertheless, researchers aim to enhance the astronauts’ sleeping conditions within this cycle. One approach is to use lighting that simulates different times of day, with a soft red glow at night resembling a sunset and a bright blue light in the morning similar to the sky.

The European Space Agency has initiated an experiment called Circadian Light. Astronaut Andreas Mogensen will test this experiment to investigate if changing light conditions can improve his sleep. The lighting not only changes color, but it also varies from day to day, simulating diverse weather conditions. This variability aims to provide a more engaging experience in an otherwise monotonous environment.

News

House of Lords to Examine UK’s Plan to Transition to Electric Vehicles

The House of Lords’ Environment and Climate Change Committee has initiated an inquiry to investigate how the UK government intends to achieve its goal of decarbonising cars and vans within the next 12 years.

The inquiry aims to identify the primary barriers to reducing emissions from private transportation, as well as understand the costs and potential benefits associated with the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles in the UK.

Furthermore, the committee seeks to assess the progress made thus far towards the 2030 and 2035 milestones, in which sales of new hybrid cars will also be prohibited.

Committee chair Baroness Kate Parminter stated, “The time has come for action. We cannot achieve net-zero without individuals making changes to our lives, how we travel, and what we buy. The use of electric vehicles for passenger transport will be part of that, and the government has committed to ending the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030.”

The committee has invited the public to provide evidence regarding the government’s approach to the 2030 and 2035 targets, the electric vehicle market, the experience of purchasing an electric vehicle, the disposal of electric vehicles at the end of their life, infrastructure issues at both national and regional levels, and international perspectives.

The call for evidence includes several questions, such as whether the 2030 and 2035 targets are realistic and achievable, and whether they are incentivising the growth of the electric vehicle market. The complete list of questions can be found here.

These targets have gained significant attention in recent months, with prominent newspapers and business secretary Kemi Badenoch scrutinising the phase-out. Badenoch is reportedly seeking to persuade cabinet ministers to ease the incoming zero emission vehicle mandate, which will require that 22% of all new vehicle sales be electric from 2024 and increase annually thereafter, in order to protect the UK’s declining automotive industry.

The deadline for submitting evidence to the committee is Friday 15 September.

Read more: Government considers easing impact of 2030 ICE ban