Making the world a better place for future generations is no small task, but big change often starts with little actions.
For people looking to impact the planet positively, it can be as simple as remembering a reusable grocery bag, ditching single-use water bottles, or considering the vehicle you get behind the wheel of.
However, being eco-conscious doesn’t have to be restrictive or dull, thanks to Toyota, whose range of electrified powertrains is as diverse as the LGBTQ+ community.
With its Beyond Zero vision — which aims to reach carbon neutrality and help customers reduce their carbon footprint with more low — and zero-emission vehicles than any other automaker—Toyota is helping drivers feel confident in their choices and their effect on future generations.
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In Season 4 of On the Road, LGBTQ Nation and Toyota explore the ways that queer people are making a significant impact. We journeyed to Portland, where eco-consciousness and personal responsibility for nature are as engrained into the bustling community as gay bars, glitter, and Pride flags.
Although Oregon has proven to be their most incredible adventure yet, Michael Lindsay and Matthew Schueller’s love story started long-distance. After meeting in 2014, Schueller left his home in Seattle for Nebraska, where Lindsay was finishing dental school, with a single condition: they’d ultimately return to the West Coast.
Not a tough sell!
Since moving to Portland, the couple engulfed themselves in the experimental food scene, where buzzy, cutting-edge cuisines and trends transform from food carts to brick-and-mortar restaurants.
Still, their must-see spot — aside from signature gay bar Scandalous, which they dubbed the city’s queer “living room” — is Powell’s Books. “It’s a historic staple to downtown Portland,” Schueller explained. “It’s been there … since Portland existed.”
Of course, they get around thanks to the Toyota RAV4 Prime, featuring an advanced gas and electric powertrain and a smooth, comfortable ride. “I love Toyota’s Beyond Zero initiative because I feel like they’ve been innovating in low-emission electric vehicles for so long that it’s just part of their brand at this point,” Lindsay added.
Most importantly, it’s a choice they feel confident in as they begin planning their own family amidst the city’s cozy community. “It’s a fact of life: you have to be environmentally conscious,” Schueller explained. “We have to take care of the world for our kids and future generations.”
Sports Bra owner Jenny Nguyen stands before Toyota’s Bz4X all-electric powertrain. Photo by David Zimmerman for LGBTQ Nation.
If anyone understands the power of small but powerful actions, it’s Jenny Nguyen, CEO and founder of The Sports Bra, a Portland-based bar that broadcasts female sports. “[At a sports bar], there’s this warmth, camaraderie, space for fandom and spectatorship to build community around sports,” she explained. “What if we just change the channel?”
After an ACL injury in college threw off her professional basketball aspirations, Nguyen found a new passion in an unlikely place: the kitchen next to her dorm room. Later on, that knowledge allowed her to create The Sports Bra, where she married her love for food and sports while supporting local women-led businesses, including signature distillery Freeland Spirits.
“[We’re able to] promote women in the industry that are often overlooked, underrepresented, underinvested in, and underfunded — all of the same things that are happening to female athletes on TV and in sports,” Nguyen added
During its first weekend, The Sports Bra attracted thousands of visitors, proving the impact of a small change — much like Nguyen’s decision to drive the all-electric Toyota bZ4X. “I think that the reason I bought an electric car, to begin with, fully aligns with Toyota’s Beyond Zero Vision of achieving carbon neutrality by reducing our carbon footprint and taking the steps necessary to create a positive impact, especially for our environment,” she said.
Now, Nguyen and this essential queer space have become the “face of something a lot larger than just a bar and restaurant,” paving a path for the next generation. As she told us, “Those tiny changes … add up, and that’s just part of the ethos of Portland. We’re surrounded by incredible nature, and to care for that has to be a part of every decision.”
Toyota’s “Beyond Zero” vision captures Toyota’s approach to carbon reduction by offering consumers a wide range of options. Photo provided by Toyota.
Learn more about Beyond Zero and Toyota’s vision for a carbon-neutral future.
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