VW Production Going Greener; Targeting Top Sales Spot

The New Year resolutions continue this week, with Volkswagen pledging to reduce the environmental impact of its manufacturing processes by 25 percent before 2018 - the same year it expects to become the world's number one carmaker.

Launching its "Think Blue. Factory." campaign this week, Volkswagen said it would inject the green thinking of its Bluemotion vehicles into the operation of its global production plants.

One of the areas Volkswagen will focus on is its energy consumption in megawatt-hours for each vehicle produced, along with carbon dioxide and other airborne emissions, waste volumes and water consumption.

"Sustainable, efficient production is a clear competitive advantage," Volkswagen's Werner Neubauer said.

"With its "Think Blue. Factory." Initiative, the Volkswagen brand is pursuing a clear strategy which pools all environmental activities at our plants throughout the world."

The carmaker marked the launch of the plan with the announcement that its plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, had become the first automobile plant in the world to gain platinum Leadership in Energy and Environment Design certification.