Grease Monkeys Go Green
(Page 2 of 2)
November / December 2007
by Mark Vanderhoff, from Plenty
In 2001 the Coordinating Committee for Automotive Repair GreenLink estimated that fewer than 5 percent of auto repair shops were in total compliance with safety and environmental regulations. That number is on the rise, though, in part because of the nonprofit’s safety and pollution prevention training, which teaches federal regulations and promotes practices that go above and beyond those rules. More than 4,000 shops have enrolled in the course, and nearly 1,000 high schools and colleges teach the curriculum to students, says Robert G. Stewart, president of the group. “We’re training a whole new generation, and an existing one,” he says. “If everyone in the shop has that heightened sense of awareness, it’s going to be so much easier.”
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Excerpted from Plenty (Aug./Sept. 2007), the magazine that makes it easy to be green. Subscriptions: $12/yr. (6 issues) from Box 621, Mt. Morris, IL 61054; www.plentymag.com.
How Green Is Your Auto Repair Shop?
Just ask: It might feel awkward to question a mechanic about the shop’s practices, but it’s one of the fastest and most direct ways to find out how environmentally friendly it is, says Organic Mechanic Charley Wilson. Break the ice by asking what the shop does with used oil.
Size it up: Preventing spills and pollution is a major component of being environmentally responsible. Most conscientious shops will keep their floors, parking lots, and other spaces very clean, says David Pothier, owner of Cars Unlimited: “Generally, if it’s a clean shop, it’s run right. If you see trash or junk cars, I would steer clear.”
Check the certification: Coordinating Committee for Automotive Repair GreenLink’s “S/P2” (safety and pollution prevention) label indicates that a garage’s employees have undergone training in environmentally friendly practices. Many states and municipalities have more extensive certification programs that not only help the shops become greener but also let consumers know who’s making the effort and who isn’t.
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