- link Copy Url
- [  Share on twitter ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=GM and Students Plant Seeds of Sustainability at Tonawanda Engine https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/37454?absolute=1&via=3blnews "link to 3 B L Media's Twitter")
- [  Share on linkedin ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/37454?absolute=1 "link to 3 B L Media's Linkedin")
- [  Share on facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/37454?absolute=1 "link to 3 B L Media's Facebook")
- [ email Share via email ](mailto:?subject=GM and Students Plant Seeds of Sustainability at Tonawanda Engine&body=ESG News from General Motors https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/37454?absolute=1 "Share via email")
 
 

 # GM and Students Plant Seeds of Sustainability at Tonawanda Engine

 


 

 Jun 21, 2013 2:00 PM ET

  Campaign:  [GM Resource Preservation ](/node/26037)  ![](https://3blaws.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/carousel_2x/s3/images/kids-plant-trees.jpg "Students from schools near GM’s Tonawanda Engine help turn former foundry land into green buffer.") Students from schools near GM’s Tonawanda Engine help turn former foundry land into green buffer. 

 

[Beyond Now Blog](http://bit.ly/1c4m9Ak)

[General Motors’ Tonawanda Engine](http://media.gm.com/content/media/us/en/gm/company_info/facilities/powertrain/tonawanda.html) facility in New York is now closer to its goal of establishing a wildlife habitat on its property thanks to the planting efforts of 100 students. Local elementary and high school students recently helped our facility transform a brownfield space (the former GM Foundry), into a green buffer that will soon provide home to pollinators and other creatures.

The planting was part of Tonawanda’s “Learn It, Live It” day, a program enabling students to meet environmental professionals and participate in hands-on sustainability efforts. This habitat development marks the first time students will contribute to the facility’s sustainability goals, which includes wildlife habitat certification by mid-2014.

GM manages more than 2,500 acres of [wildlife habitat](http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2012/Nov/1109_wildlife.html) throughout 25 sites certified by the [Wildlife Habitat Council](http://www.wildlifehc.org/)—more than any other automaker. We have [committed](http://gmsustainability.com/ENVIRONMENTAL_2020Commitments.html) to develop a certified wildlife habitat at each of our manufacturing facilities where feasible by 2020.

“This day enabled us to enhance students’ understanding of conservation and show how they can reduce their environmental impact,” said Miguel Antonetti, environmental supervisor at GM Tonawanda. “In addition to the planting activity, students learned about our landfill-free manufacturing processes and how we recycle and reuse all of our daily waste.”

“Learn It, Live It” day was the culmination to months of learning about water quality through [GREEN](http://www.earthforce.org/GREEN) (Global River Environmental Education Network), a program in which GM partners with the nonprofit [Earth Force](http://earthforce.org/), community organizations and area schools to help youth understand how their actions [impact local watersheds](http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2012/Mar/0307_green.html). Volunteers from the UAW/GM Tonawanda facility have mentored students while testing water quality around Buffalo for the past two years. Last year, 41 facilities participated in GM GREEN nationwide, engaging more than 10,000 students.

Kate Hilliman, executive director of [Buffalo Urban Outdoor Education](http://www.buoe.org/) believes that allowing students to make discoveries about their environment through hands-on learning makes a powerful impact.

”Not only are students gaining science knowledge, they are interacting with professionals in the field and making connections to the practical application of what they are learning in the classroom,” she said.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 [![](/sites/default/files/Clients/106821423-1610125493528-Untitled-5.jpg)](/profiles/general-motors)

 



 

### More from General Motors

###### [Used General Motors Fire Hoses Get New Life at Potter Park Zoo](/news/used-general-motors-fire-hoses-get-new-life-potter-park-zoo)

 Jan 25, 2021 11:00 AM ET

  



###### [California Fire Foundation and General Motors Team up to Donate Vehicles to California Fire Departments](/news/california-fire-foundation-and-general-motors-team-donate-vehicles-california-fire-departments)

 Dec 17, 2020 1:00 PM ET

  



###### [General Motors Donates Face Masks and Flu Vaccines to California Communities](/news/general-motors-donates-face-masks-and-flu-vaccines-california-communities)

 Nov 18, 2020 2:45 PM ET

  



###### [General Motors Named One of America's Most Just Companies by Forbes and JUST Capital](/news/general-motors-named-one-americas-most-just-companies-forbes-and-just-capital)

 Oct 14, 2020 10:50 AM ET

  



###### [General Motors Receives EPA Green Power Leadership Award](/news/general-motors-receives-epa-green-power-leadership-award)

 Sep 22, 2020 4:45 PM ET

  



###### [GM Awarded for Global Sustainability Leadership Award](/news/gm-awarded-global-sustainability-leadership-award)

 Sep 8, 2020 2:40 PM ET

  



###### [GM’s Spring Hill Manufacturing to Run on the Sun](/news/gms-spring-hill-manufacturing-run-sun)

 May 14, 2020 11:05 AM ET

  



###### [General Motors and DTE Energy are Making Michigan a Clean Energy Powerhouse](/news/general-motors-and-dte-energy-are-making-michigan-clean-energy-powerhouse)

 Apr 20, 2020 11:30 AM ET