As you’re driving your car back home from your repair shop with a smile of satisfaction, does it occur to you that you’re repair needs have just added to the environmental woes of this planet?
That’s right. Approximately 200 million gallons of oil are drained in the sewers every year while just 1 gallon of oil can contaminate 1 million gallons of drinking water. This is a dangerous threat to ourselves and our surroundings.
Therefore, it’s important that we make eco-friendly changes in our lifestyle and habits which applies in this case too.You can avoid this by opting for those auto repair shops that carry out eco-friendly practices.
If you’re a car repair dealer, it’s a choice you can make in support of a greener and better environment. So, before the situation rolls out of control, you can take a few steps to make an eco-friendly statement. Incorporating measures such as recyclable windshield wipers, recycled motor oil, biodegradable engine additives, VOC-free paint or non-toxic shop cleansers can help you make the right start.
Here’s a list of 5 things you can do to ensure that your auto repair shop operates in strict compliance with environmental policies.
1. Offer eco-friendly tune-ups
Include in your services those tune-ups that are specifically designed to conserve resources by improving gas mileage and the life of your customer’s vehicle.
2. Stop using hazardous chemicals
Paints, thinners, antifreeze chemicals, scrap metal, batteries, fuels and acids that are generally used by repair shops pose many health threats such as cancer, respiratory problems, skin disorders and so on. Therefore avoid using these chemicals. Instead, you can use environmentally-better substitutes available in the market.
3. Improve your waste management practices
Keep a check on your waste management and disposal practices. Use dry-cleaning techniques to minimize the use of liquid cleaners and grease removals which also have some level of toxicity.
4. Encourage your customers to use bio-diesel
Assist your customers with diesel conversions and encourage them to switch over to bio-diesel. You can also keep special offers on repairing services for hybrids and electric cars as a means of supporting the use of eco-friendly cars.
5. Go paperless
Minimize the use of paper in your business. Instead use online systems for management of documents, maintaining customer records, payment details and storing files. This is one strong step towards embracing eco-friendly practices for your auto repair business.