Sustainability is a buzzword that is on everyone’s mind, especially as we move closer to the 2030 deadline that would allow us to avert, if not reverse, a massive and devastating climate crisis.
It may seem like owning a luxury car is the antithesis of sustainability, but automotive manufacturers are among those leading the sustainability charge. How can BMW owners make a commitment to sustainability while still enjoying their favorite luxury automaker?
Buy a BMW
Buying a new car might sound like the opposite of sustainability, but hear us out. The company as a whole is already making great strides toward improving its own sustainability. BMW has a lot of plans in place to reduce its carbon footprint dramatically by the 2030 deadline. These include:
- Creating scientific CO2 savings plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Building at least 7 million electric vehicles between now and then.
- Reducing the CO2 emissions needed for each vehicle by one-third over its lifecycle.
- Cutting CO2 emissions at BMW facilities by 80%.
- Creating a sustainable supply chain.
- Serving and supporting a circular economy
BMW isn’t the only automotive manufacturer to have such a plan in place. Most of the best-known companies are either workshopping a sustainability plan or have already announced one, with plans going into effect between 2025 and 2030. These are big steps and big changes, and it will take some time to bring them to fruition, but it’s already a step in the right direction for anyone who is concerned with the sustainability of their favorite daily driver.
Recycle
Anyone who grew up in the 1990s was raised on the mantra of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Instead of forgetting it as a relic of a bygone era, we should be embracing it — especially the first and last points. Reducing your use and disposal of single-use plastics, especially when it comes to things like automotive fluids, can be a challenge. There are no bulk stores where you can go buy fresh oil in your own container like you can do with dry goods at Whole Foods. That is where the concept of recycling comes in.
Motor oil containers themselves are recyclable, as long as they’re completely empty. The plastic can be reused to make new containers or even components for automotive manufacturing, depending on the needs at the time. The oil itself is also recyclable, though you won’t want to put that in your recycling bin. Check with local shops or even your local parts stores. Most, like AutoZone and Advance Discount Auto Parts, offer a service where they will take and recycle used motor oil free of charge. It’s a tool to keep people from dumping used oil onto the ground, but it also gives you somewhere to get rid of your used oil containers where you can be sure that they’ll be recycled.
Go Electric
BMW is one of many automotive manufacturers making the shift toward electric vehicles, and they’ve got big plans for the next decade. By the end of the 2020s, the company is planning to earn at least half of its sales from electric vehicles. Mini, another brand owned by BMW, is making the switch to full electric sometime in the early 2030s.
Right now, the electric vehicle pickings are slim for BMW fans, but that is going to change. Currently, you’ve got an electric Mini, the i3 city car, or the iX3 SUV to choose from. The i4 and iX are next on the list, with the latter scheduled to go on sale by the end of 2021. Soon after that, we’re expecting to see electric versions of the 5 Series, the X1, and the 7 Series, as well as the Mini Countryman. Even Rolls-Royce is working on creating fully electric models that will shape the luxury and supercar landscape for years to come.
Drive Less
This might seem contrary for anyone who likes to spend time behind the wheel of their favorite BMW, but when it comes down to it, driving less is better for the environment. Driving isn’t always avoidable, especially during long daily commute times, but simple steps like carpooling or carefully creating a trip chain to help you achieve all your tasks without wasting gas running back and forth can help to reduce your overall carbon footprint.
Even if you love driving your favorite BMW, if you don’t already have an electric model, try to leave it in the garage a couple of days a week. Take public transportation or bike to work. Even electric cars aren’t perfect, especially since most of the power grid still relies on burning fossil fuels. Keeping your BMW in the garage is an easy step toward overall sustainability, even if you only manage it once or twice a week.
Look Forward
As we move closer to that 2030 deadline, we’re going to start seeing more dramatic changes. BMW owners who are concerned about their impact on the planet can make a commitment to sustainability now, by driving less, opting for electric vehicles, and buying from a company like BMW that is already making changes to reduce its carbon footprint and leave a better world behind for the next generation.