The environmental movement remains a vital force in American society. This movement has enjoyed success through the years, in part, because of continued public support. In 1970, the first Earth Day celebration took place, bringing the environment to the forefront of concern and our national agenda. Now, 31 years later, the environmental movement remains one of the most important movements in America's history. In a Gallup Poll conducted last year, three-fourths of Americans rate the environmental movement as having had either “a great deal” or “a moderate amount” of success. This places it behind the civil rights and women's rights movements and in a virtual tie with the abortion rights and gun-control movements.

However, the public's criticism of American business and industry's involvement in the movement remains high. In fact, the Gallup Poll reported that 74 percent of those surveyed said that businesses and industry lacked sufficient concern for the environment.

The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has recently teamed up with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a joint pollution prevention program for mechanical shops. One objective of this new Greenshops Program, launched last November, is to encourage shop owners to develop an Environmental Management System (EMS) approach to achieve “better-than-compliance” performance on implementing and adhering to environmental practices in their shops. The intent is to have shops use environmentally conscious practices in their daily operations.

“I think that any shop that doesn't implement Environmental Best Practices is missing a smart move,” said Larry Moore, co-owner with wife, Laurie, of Larry's AutoWorks in Mountain View, Calif. “It creates a positive effect on customers, employees and the bottom line.” Moore's shop is featured in the EPA's “Profit Through Prevention” video that accompanies information regarding the ASA Greenshops Program sent to prospective participants.

Environmental Management System

To participate in the Greenshops Program, shops must implement an Environmental Management System. This system consists of various components. First, each participating shop will post its environmental policy statement in a publicly accessible area of its shop. This statement, in essence, lets customers know that the shop is actively working to exhibit an environmental responsibility to its community.

Next, a shop must implement six of seven key Best Environmental Practices established by the EPA. These practices include parts cleaning, brake cleaning, aerosol use, antifreeze recycling, spill prevention, floor cleanup and oil/water separator maintenance.

Gary Carpenter, owner of Kansas Auto Repair in Newton, Kan., said he had some reservations in implementing these established practices. “I fought them at first, but once we implemented these practices, it made things a lot easier,” he said. “It was easier than what I thought it would be in all areas.”

Carpenter uses an aqueous parts cleaning method in his shop. He says using this solution makes it easier for his technicians to clean their parts, contributing to higher employee morale and labor cost savings. “The warm fluid didn't eat up their skin. They can go do something else while the parts are cleaning.”

Mark Salem, owner of Salem Boys Auto in Tempe, Ariz., treats their oil/water separators like swimming pools, saving the company hundreds of dollars a year. “We skim them, pump them, treat them and filter out all the solids before they get into the underground tanks, which has eliminated the annual need for pumping,” he said. “We have gone seven years without having to pay $400 to $600 to have them cleaned annually because we keep them clean with screens and filters.”

Salem Boys Auto was also featured in the EPA video and has won many local and national awards including the “Golden Apple Award” for its environmental practices. “My employees recognize how important this is to me,” Salem said.

Moore believes that the most difficult part of establishing these practices is breaking old habits. “It was like pulling teeth to get people to do things differently,” he said. “Probably the most important thing is to change the attitude from one of 'it's not my problem' to one of a desire to use the best practices available to create a clean and healthy workplace that everyone can benefit from.”

ASA and the EPA have also created an environmental checklist for participating shops. This checklist serves as a checking and corrective action mechanism. If enough Best Environmental Practices are not implemented, the point totals will not be sufficient for passing. The shop owner must then take necessary steps to ensure that more implementation occurs.

Once recognized, the repair shop will retain its Greenshops status for a maximum of two years. At that time, ASA will review the shop's status and add any new practices to its checklist.

Overall Benefits of the Program

There are several benefits to participating in this program. One tangible benefit is the shop's overall bottom line. “I'm part of the old school. I didn't see the possibility until I started looking,” said Carpenter. “It cost a little bit up front, but everything I have done has made me money.” Kansas State University Pollution Prevention provided insight to Carpenter on how to meet EPA standards in his shop.

Participating in the ASA Greenshop Program does not have to cost the shop a lot of money. Like Carpenter, Moore did some research and worked with local agencies to find inexpensive ways to run a clean shop. “In many cases, simply changing the way we did things helped us comply with the rules,” Moore said. He sealed up all floor drains and used a different approach to cleaning up spills. By doing so, he eliminated all sewer assessment fees and stopped creating hazardous material that has to be disposed of at a high price. He also met the requirements for double containment of liquids by using inexpensive livestock feed containers instead of specially constructed fiberglass units.

Moore has also seen a surge in quality employees. “We find that the caliber of technicians and other employees who want to come to work here is very high. They understand that the clean working conditions make their life easier,” he said. In fact, Moore said, his profitability has never been higher. Technicians do not have to take time off work due to falls. There is no cost for cleaning customers' carpets because of tracked grease. In addition, there is less cost for hauling waste materials, better productivity due to clean work areas and more efficient cleaning technologies. “Our customers often comment on how clean our shop is. They are not accustomed to seeing an independent shop that is much cleaner than the local dealers,” he said.

Salem re-emphasizes Moore's points. And, he strongly believes that the most important benefit is the overall picture. “It's simply the right thing to do. It goes hand in hand with good, honest repair work,” he said. “I want to protect my investment and my kids' future.”

Bill Haas, AAM, ASA Mechanical Division manager, says, “ASA members have always had the highest regard for their customers and the service they provide. Participating in the ASA/EPA Greenshops Program just proves they have the utmost respect for their community.”

For more information on the ASA/EPA Greenshops Program, please contact the ASA Mechanical Division at (800) 272-7467, ext. 224.

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