If you are like most people today you are looking for ways to reduce your impact on the environment. Perhaps you have gone to compact fluorescent bulbs in all of the light fixtures of your home to reduce energy use. Another common change is bringing reusable grocery bags to the store to reduce consumption. One area that most people don't think of is car repair but there are in fact a number of ways to make this part of your life more "green."
First off you will probably have to do a little more work than usual to find a shop who is participating in a more environmentally conscious process of doing car repair. A good place to start would be to simply start cold calling auto shops in the area and asking what sorts of steps they have taken to reduce their impact on the environment.
Another place to look would be online. Most places that offer a service that is more environmentally friendly advertise that they are doing good work so that they will draw in people interested in this kind of company. Also ask people you know if they have been using a business that in eco-conscious.
There are a bunch of different things that car repair shops are doing to be more "green" and it is not necessary, or in many cases possible, to find somewhere that does all of them. One of the most common things being done today is a transition from solvent based parts washers to types that use water. Chemical solvent tanks wreak havoc on the environment and contribute a large amount to the pollution generated by auto shops.
Other way businesses are going "green" is recycling and proper disposal. There are numbers of machines and technologies today that recycle or repurpose used solvents and used oils for reuse or disposal. An eco-friendly business has systems in place to properly remove and dispose of used chemicals and also to prevent accidental spillage or release into the environment.
Finally many car repair businesses are looking into purchasing renewable energy credits to offset their carbon usage. Although it is not as good as actually reducing their impact it is a step in the right direction toward zero impact operation.
Even if none of these things are offered or available at your local car repair company it doesn't hurt to mention them. You may be able to persuade a businessman in your area to look into and maybe take up some of these actions. Raising awareness is in many instances just as good as action.
