The first thing you're probably wondering is: What do soybeans have to do with Honda cars? In truth: not much. But, they do have a lot to do with the Japanese automaker's core philosophy.

In a recent visit to the Honda facility in Marysville, OH, Steve Motavalli of Car Talk witnessed something extraordinary. In addition to cultivating practices to eliminate waste in their manufacturing efforts, they're using the surrounding acreage to grow food-grade soybeans.  They're actually the largest exporter of the crop in the state. They've even collaborated with local farmers' markets, asking them to…