TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- Like homeowners in a heat wave, Toyota is trying to cut back on its electric bill these days -- not just for cost savings but for the environmental benefits.

Environmental managers at Toyota's North American plants are tackling energy consumption as a means of reducing both air and water emissions in their bid to become greener manufacturers.

"Power generation consumes a lot of resources," Kevin Butt, chief environmental officer at Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc., commented after speaking at an industry gathering here today. "The less demand we can make on utility companies, the less…