The #FarmToCar mission is simple: replace petroleum-based plastics with plant-based materials.https://t.co/ETS8NqtqxL
— Ford Drive Green (@FordDriveGreen) May 10, 2016
Ford's Senior Technical Leader of Materials Sustainability, Debbie Mielewski, will never rest when it comes to finding new sustainable materials to build your car. Her quest to replace petroleum-based plastics and foams with plant-based ones began in 2000 with soybeans.
Every Ford model we sell that was built in North America as of 2011 contains soy-foam seat cushions.
Soy can be grown locally, bringing new revenue to North American farmers, protects manufacturers from unstable oil prices, and using soy has reduced Ford's carbon dioxide emissions by over 20 million pounds annually.
The list of sustainable materials doesn’t end with soy. Mielewski lists off the natural fibers that can be used in Ford vehicles -- tomato skins, seeds, stems, rice hulls, wheat straw, out-of-circulation money, etc. Ford could probably even use grapevines to make new cars.
If you believe agricultural byproducts are better off used than wasted, visit Grapevine Ford to test drive new Ford cars, trucks, and SUVs built with surprisingly resourceful materials.