General Motors Commits To ‘Green’ Tires

In a recent sustainability effort, GM has plans to buy natural rubber for the 49 million tires it buys annually. This initiative is aimed at helping small rubber farmers, while protecting company revenue by ensuring long-term availability. GM said it is developing purchase requirements that include sustainably harvested rubber. The automaker is also encouraging other companies to follow in its footsteps in order to reduce deforestation and uphold human and labor rights.

The general outline of these purchase requirements are as follows:

-The rubber used does not contribute to deforestation

-The rubber was harvested in ways that contribute to the economic and social development of an area

-The material is managed in a transparent and traceable manner

David Tulauskas, GM’s director of sustainability said, “This isn’t just about going green, It’s about driving real business results.”

GM and tire makers are still unsure of the cost of using more sustainable farming practices, but they hope it will be equal or less than today, in part by increasing rubber yields. Plans are in the works for the automaker to meet with stakeholders (probably in June,) to set criteria for rubber purchasing. We applaud this ‘green’ movement, and hope to see other automakers do the same.

Sources: AutoWeek, Automotive News