Over 10,000 volunteers showed up yesterday in Chachoengsao Province, Thailand to plant about 100,000 threes around Toyota's Ban Pho Plant. This is part of Toyota's global sustainable plant activities which seek to surround production facilities with trees. Employees, local residents and political figures donated their green thumbs to the cause.

Trees provide a natural perimeter around the production facilities and provide homes to wildlife. Not only that but they are carbon consuming giants. They clean the air, provide shade to the building and act as a sound barrier.

As it turns out, horticulture is only the part of Toyota's efforts to reduce their environmental impact. The Ban Pho Plant is heralded as a beacon of efficiency. Since starting production in 2007, there has been zero landfill waste. By installing solar panels, the plant has reduced its CO2 emissions by 9,000 tons annually and wastewater is recycled.

Not only is the Ban Pho Plant a model for other Toyota factories but it's an inspiration for other manufacturing plants as well.