NEW YORK, June 28, 2012 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Have you taken
an animal safari in Texas? Checked out the “Love Motel for Insects” in New York?
Toyota and the National Audubon Society are teaming up this summer to ask
Americans to Exit the Highway and pledge to spend more time taking scenic
roads to nature. The campaign, which highlights nearly 100 nature destinations
in more than 60 cities, is also rewarding nature seekers. For every initial
pledge and for every photo of a nature stop shared online at ExitTheHighway.com,
participants are entered to win a Toyota Prius v, a new evolution in
hybrid vehicles with more cargo space and Prius’ heritage of environmental
performance and fuel economy.
(Logo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120628/DC30344LOGO )
At ExitTheHighway.com,
road trip itineraries offer inspiration for a day outdoors or an unexpected stop
on your next road trip. From coast to coast, people can choose the destinations
most appealing to them, map an itinerary to suit their travel plans and use the
itineraries as fun ways to meet up with friends and family. Drivers not near a
highlighted city or region can suggest their own local nature spots to the
Exit the Highway community by uploading a photo of their favorite nature
location at ExitTheHighway.com.
“Exit the Highway is a beautifully simple idea. Take an hour, change
your routine, and spend a little time with friends and family outdoors,” said
Audubon President and CEO David Yarnold. “You may discover something that will
touch your heart or teach you something new, and you’ll find out who’s working
to save it. And then you’ll be back for more.”
The itineraries include a special focus on conservation projects from
TogetherGreen, a
$20 million initiative created by Toyota and the
National Audubon Society to foster diverse environmental leadership and fund
innovative conservation ideas. These projects offer a close-up view of how
leaders are engaging communities in conservation efforts.
To start planning a nature adventure, take the pledge at ExitTheHighway.com, or Causes.com/Toyota. In addition to taking the pledge, the
Exit the Highway website also allows travelers to:
- Earn bonus entries into the Toyota Prius v sweepstakes by sharing
photos tagged with #exitthehighway via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram accounts
or manually uploading photos at ExitTheHighway.com.
- Explore nearly 100 nature destinations (70 of which are free to the
public) along with a link to details and hours of operation.
- See itineraries that utilize Google Maps for point-to-point directions.
- Recommend favorite nature stops in your area to other nature seekers.
- Get personal recommendations from local leaders with a passion for caring
for the environment.
“We need highways to get us to our destinations, but we’re encouraging you to
take the roads less traveled as you drive,” said Pat Pineda, Group Vice
President, National Philanthropy and the Toyota Foundation. “What lies just
beyond a highway exit can be a very rich, memorable experience in nature. We’re
hoping Exit the Highway sparks interest in conservation with travelers of
all ages and also sheds a light on the many local heroes who are advocating for
our planet.”
For more information, itineraries and sweepstakes rules, visit ExitTheHighway.com, Causes.com/Toyota or Facebook.com/togethergreen.
About Audubon
Now in its second century, Audubon connects
people with birds, nature and the environment that supports us all. Our national
network of community-based nature centers, chapters, scientific, education, and
advocacy programs engages millions of people from all walks of life in
conservation action to protect and restore the natural world. Visit Audubon
online at http://www.audubon.org/.
About Toyota
Toyota established operations in the United States in
1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing plants and has a network of nearly
1,500 dealerships. Toyota directly employs over 30,000 in the U.S. and its
investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion, including sales
and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and
design.
Toyota is committed to being a good corporate citizen in the communities
where it does business and believes in supporting programs with long-term
sustainable results. Toyota supports numerous organizations across the country,
focusing on education, the environment and safety. Since 1991, Toyota has
contributed over half-a-billion dollars to philanthropic programs in the
U.S.
For more information on Toyota’s commitment to improving communities
nationwide, visit http://toyotainaction.com/community or toyota.com/community.
About TogetherGreen
Audubon and Toyota launched the $20 million
TogetherGreen initiative in 2008 to foster diverse environmental
leadership and fund innovative conservation ideas. TogetherGreen funding
recipients have helped protect 250 species of birds and other wildlife, improved
10,000 acres of habitat, mobilized 220,000 individuals, collected two million
pounds of recyclables and captured $5 million worth of volunteer time. For more
information, visit http://www.togethergreen.org/.
Contacts:
Brenda Timm
(Audubon)
212-979-3198 /
btimm@audubon.org
Zoe Zeigler (Toyota)
212-714-7492 /
zoe_zeigler@tma.toyota.com
SOURCE Audubon
