TORRANCE, Calif. -

American Honda Motor Co. revealed this week the establishment of what it has titled a “green dealer” program for its independently-owned Honda and Acura dealers in the U.S. 

The program offers three achievement levels: Silver, Gold and Platinum.

And the  “Honda Environmental Leadership Award and Acura Environmental Leadership Award will be given to dealers who quantifiably reduce their environmental impact, beginning with a minimum 10 percent reduction in total energy use at their dealerships,” officials explained.

Highlighting the different levels, Silver-level dealers must achieve a 10 percent reduction in total energy use, develop a water use reduction plan and implement a comprehensive recycling program.

Gold-level dealers must achieve continuous improvement in their reduction and conservation goals above and beyond the Silver level.

And the  top-level Platinum award is reserved for dealers whose facilities earn LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, officials explained.

That said, 10 dealers have already received the award, 18 more have applied to be in the program and more than 200 dealers have independently developed initiatives to reduce their environmental impact.

Commenting on the program Steven Center, vice president of the American Honda Environmental Business Development Office, noted, “We’ve designed this program around what we feel are both challenging but achievable targets that are within the reach of most of our 1,300 U.S. Honda and Acura dealers. Now our goal is to engage as many of them as possible in our program, and together achieve the broadest possible benefit for our environment.”

Giving some background on the program, Honda introduced the voluntary program to its dealers at national sales meetings held last fall, “generating interest among hundreds of Honda and Acura dealers,” the OEM noted.

The company uses a third party evaluator to conduct environmental audits of participating dealers and recommend strategies for reducing their energy use.

The OEM also provided a list of dealers who have already earned the Honda or Acura Environmental Leadership Award, as follows:

Honda – Platinum Level

Headquarter Honda (Clermont, Fla.)

Honda – Silver Level

Rock Honda (Fontana, Calif.)
Joe Morgan Honda (Monroe, Ohio)
Rossi Honda (Vineland, N.J.)
Honda of Burleson (Burleson, Texas)
Diamond Honda (City of Industry, Calif.)
Voss Honda (Tipp City, Ohio)

Acura – Silver Level
McDaniels Acura (Columbia, S.C.)
Norm Reeves Acura of Mission Viejo (Mission Viejo, Calif.)
Acura of Peabody (Peabody, Mass.)