Eco Warriors

Volkswagen giving The Conservation Fund $1.25 million to buy, protect land in East Tennessee

Eileen Falkenberg-Hull
Nov 16, 2019, 11:07 am

Volkswagen is making a significant donation to help the environment of Eastern Tennessee.

Photo courtesy of Volkswagen AG

The Conservation Fund will be on the receiving end of a $1.25 million donation from Volkswagen. The monies will be used to buy, protect and donate hundreds of acres of land to the U.S. Forest Service. Any remaining money will be used to provide community grants in Eastern Tennessee.

Volkswagen's U.S. plant is located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, near where these funds will be used.

Cherokee National Forest Tennessee The additional conservation efforts will allow visitors to enjoy the national habitats of wildlife in Tennessee.Photo courtesy of Volkswagen AG

"We are excited about our partnership with Volkswagen and the opportunity to advance their commitment to corporate leadership around sustainability," said Larry Selzer, president and CEO of The Conservation Fund. "Volkswagen is taking real, measurable steps forward to help protect the environment, embrace sustainable business practices and support the communities in which they work."

Most of the funds will be used to increase the size of the Cherokee National Forest. The Forest was created in 1920 and currently stands at about 656,000 acres north and south of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Volkswagen's donation will help add 1,500 acres to the site. That new acreage will be used for public recreation and habitat protection for black bears and Indiana bats.

Cherokee National Forest sign Tennessee Volkswagen of America and The Conservation Fund are teaming up to increase the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee.Photo courtesy of Volkswagen AG

"Our work with The Conservation Fund will help strengthen the environment and help us give back to a community where more than 3,800 of our colleagues live," said Scott Keogh, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America. "This collaboration in our own backyard underscores our 'Drive Bigger' goal of pursuing ideas bigger than ourselves and then taking action. We feel a responsibility to show how a major automaker can credibly contribute to the greater good."

In addition to the bears and bats, the Forest is home to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, several whitewater rivers, and 12 designated wildernesses.

The Conservation Fund is negotiating with private landowners to acquire properties that will be held until they can be transferred to the USDA Forest Service for long-term stewardship in 2020 and 2021.

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CES 2020

Toyota to build 145-acre prototype city of the future at the base of Mt. Fuji

Toyota's city of the future will run only on hydrogen and solar power.

Photo courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Toyota is taking a page out of Hyundai's playbook when it comes to conceptualizing cities of future, but the Japanese automaker is taking it one major step further. They're actually building the city.

Called the Woven City, the 175-acre development will be fully powered by hydrogen fuel cells and serve as a living laboratory for full-time residents and researchers. Unlike the three-acre Biospehere 2, Woven City will not be enclosed and secluded from the real world.

Toyota Woven City 2020 2021 Woven City will incorporate a number of green spaces.Photo courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Woven City will feature autonomous, personal mobility, smart home, and artificial intelligence technologies working together in a way that has never been tested before.

"Building a complete city from the ground up, even on a small scale like this, is a unique opportunity to develop future technologies, including a digital operating system for the city's infrastructure," said Akio Toyoda, president, Toyota Motor Corporation. "With people, buildings and vehicles all connected and communicating with each other through data and sensors, we will be able to test connected AI technology… in both the virtual and the physical realms … maximizing its potential."

Woven City isn't an exclusive opportunity for Toyota. The company will open the site to commercial and academic partners as well as scientists and researchers from around the world.

"We welcome all those inspired to improve the way we live in the future, to take advantage of this unique research ecosystem and join us in our quest to create an ever-better way of life and mobility for all," said Toyoda.

Toyota Woven City 2020 2021 Woven City will be a live-work-pay community.Photo courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Danish architect Bjarke Ingels, CEO, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has been commissioned to design Woven City. BIG has worked on many high-profile projects including 2 World Trade Center in New York, the Lego House in Denmark, and Google's Mountain View and London headquarters.

"A swarm of different technologies are beginning to radically change how we inhabit and navigate our cities," said Ingels. "Connected, autonomous, emission-free and shared mobility solutions are bound to unleash a world of opportunities for new forms of urban life. With the breadth of technologies and industries that we have been able to access and collaborate with from the Toyota ecosystem of companies, we believe we have a unique opportunity to explore new forms of urbanity with the Woven City that could pave new paths for other cities to explore."

Woven City's masterplan includes three types of street usage: vehicles-only, low speed personal mobility and pedestrians, and park-like promenades for pedestrians only. These three types serve as fertile testing ground for numerous types of autonomous technology.

Toyota is planning to have the entire space be fully sustainable. The buildings are mostly made of wood, which the company says is in an effort to minimize the carbon footprint of Woven City. Rooftops will be covered in photo-voltaic panels, which will generation solar power to supplement the hydrogen fuel cells. Native vegetation and hydroponics will also be features.

The homes of Woven City will have robotics designed to assist with daily living. Sensor-based AI will check occupants' health and assist with daily lifestyle needs.

Toyota's Woven City

Woven City, Japan, Toyota

Photo courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

According to Toyota, only fully-autonomous, zero-emission vehicles will be allowed on the main thoroughfares. Toyota e-Palettes will be used for transportation and deliveries, as well as for changeable mobile retail.

There will be neighborhood parks, a large central park, and a central plaza.

Toyota is planning to have 2,000 people inhabit Woven City to start with plans to add more as the project evolves. A groundbreaking is planned in early 2021.

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Ranked

Ranked: 15 worst-selling new vehicles in the U.S. in 2019

The Mercedes-Benz B-Class, which has been discontinued in the U.S., is one of 2019's worse-selling models.

Photo courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

Some cars, like the Toyota Camry and Honda CR-V, sell well. It seems like you see them everywhere. Occasionally, on dealer lots you'll see a leftover model from the previous year waiting to be sold, but it's likely to be snatched up quickly. The vehicles on this list are the opposite.

Most of these models are the equivalent of the leftovers you forgot about in the back of the fridge for months after Thanksgiving. The majority of them aren't even made anymore. A few are handmade specialty models, and for that, their lack of sales can be forgiven.

One thing you will notice; super luxury models aren't on the list. Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Rolls-Royces, among others, get a pass because of their scarcity.

Smart ForTwo (605 sold)

2016 Smart Fortwo

Photo courtesy of Smart

If you visit the Smart website, the first thing you'll see is a message saying, "smart cars are no longer sold in the US." Sure, "no longer," but they were sold up until September when the arm of Mercedes-Benz finally pulled out of the U.S. market.

Kia K900 (390 sold)

2020 Kia K900

Photo courtesy of Kia Motors

Kia not only still makes the K900, it's just been through a generational redesign. The model gets high marks from reviewers but it's never really caught on here in the U.S. It is more popular in Kia's native Korea.

Ford C-Max (213 sold)

2018 Ford C-Max Hybrid

Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Company

Ford sold 213 new C-Maxes in 2019, through the third quarter. The hybrid and plug-in hybrid model was in production through the 2019 model year so it's understandable that there's a few still left on lots.

Alfa Romeo 4C (144 sold)

2020 Alfa Romeo 4C

Photo courtesy of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V.

The Alfa Romeo 4C coupe is one of the few models on this list still in production. Though Alfa doesn't produce or sell many of the cars, they're considered one of the more fun vehicles you can get behind the wheel of. That assessment doesn't take into account their aging infotainment system, shoddy interior, and harsh ride.

Volkswagen CC (58 sold)

2017 Volkswagen CC

Photo courtesy of Volkswagen AG

The Volkswagen CC ceased production in 2017. The so-called "comfort coupe", which is actually a sedan, never really gained momentum with U.S. customers, something its replacement, the Arteon, is also experiencing.

Chrysler 200 (48 sold)

2016 Chrysler 200

Photo courtesy of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V.

The Chrysler 200 fell out of favor at FCA right around the same time as the Dodge Dart. Despite this, 48 people still bought the model in 2019.

Jeep Patriot (27 sold)

2017 Jeep Patriot

Photo courtesy of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V.

In the words of Led Zeppelin, "I just can't quit you baby." Despite the new Jeep Compass and upgraded Jeep Renegade being suitable alternatives to the Patriot, 27 buyers still purchased the Patriot in 2019. That's down from the 621 FCA sold last year.

Dodge Dart (15 sold)

2016 Dodge Dart

Photo courtesy of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V.

In September 2016, production of the Dodge Dart ended. And yet, despite no new ones being made in three years, 15 new Darts were sold to customers. In 2014, Fiat Chrysler's then-CEO Sergio Marchionne said that Dart customers who wanted a hatchback could be served by the Jeep Renegade or the Fiat 500X, two models that remain on U.S. lots today.

Nissan Juke (11 sold)

2015 Nissan Juke

Photo courtesy of Nissan North America

There are Juke enthusiasts spread throughout the U.S. who actively take to Twitter to lament that the latest Juke generation has yet to make its way to the U.S. They may be the ones who bought the 11 new Jukes sold in the U.S. this year. In 2018, Nissan sold 713 of the SUVs to U.S. buyers.

Toyota Venza (9 sold)

2016 Toyota Venza

Photo courtesy of Toyota

Toyota sold just as many Venzas in 2019 as they did in 2018 - 9. The five-door crossover's last model year in the U.S. was 2015. That means that customers who bought a new Venza this year actually bought one that's four years old, and didn't really change from 2012 to 2015. What's the phrase about a sucker being born every minute?

Mercedes-Benz B-Class (8 sold)

2016 Mercedes-Benz B-Class

Photo courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

Head to the Mercedes-Benz website and you won't even find the B-Class listed for sale. The second generation, which was produced from 2011-2018, was sold in the U.S., though it wouldn't be considered a popular model by any stretch of the imagination. In 2018, the luxury automaker sold 135 of the models in the U.S.

Infiniti QX70 (6 sold)

2016 Infiniti QX70

Infiniti sold 954 QX70s in 2018 but just six were sold in 2019. The model was discontinued in 2017. Infinit's QX50 has picked up much of the slack from the hole the QX70 left and the model's body style will see a bit of a resurgence when the QX55 debuts later in 2020.

Chrysler Town & Country (5 sold)

2016 Chrysler Town & Country

Photo courtesy of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V.

Chrysler sold five new Town & Country minivans in 2019 despite not having manufactured the model since 2016. That's actually one less than was sold in 2018. It really makes you wonder how many of the minivans they'll sell in 2020.

Honda CR-Z (2 sold)

2016 Honda CR-Z

Photo courtesy of American Honda Motor Co., Inc

Honda only sold two new CR-Zs in 2019, down from the 28 they sold in 2018. The hybrid coupe was last made in 2016. It was discontinued to make room for Honda Accord Hybrid and Clarity production.

Dodge Avenger (1 sold)

2016 Dodge Avenger

Photo courtesy of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V.

One lucky (?) buyer took home a brand spankin' new Dodge Avenger in 2019. The front-wheel drive sedan hasn't been in production since 2014.

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