Go Green with Your Garage

This post is a part of the Greener Assets “Go Green with your Small Business” series. You can see ways to go green with other types of small business here.

Do you run a Garage?

If you’re a mechanic, then you probably hear every day about people wanting to go green. I’m willing to bet that you’re servicing more hybrids and smaller cars every single year. How can you go green in an industry that isn’t traditionally good for the environment?

Garage Go-Green Tips:

• Take a cue from Firestone and offer green oil changes. You can do so by using re-refined motor oil like EcoPower. You can read more about how Firestone is offering environmentally-friend oil changes at The Auto Channel.
  
• Recycle used oil and car batteries. Chances are that you do this already to comply with local and federal laws. However, you can also offer this service to your consumers. Create a center where they can drop off these items for free. If you really want to promote this service, you might even want to offer coupons for every recyclable your customers bring in.
  
• Offer clean and green car washing. There are a number of environmentally-friendly soaps you can use so that when you rinse the suds away, you aren’t hurting the environment. Consider carrying the following products:
  • Simple Green Car Wash: http://www.simplegreen.com/products_car_wash.php 
  • No-Wet: http://www.nowet.com/carwash.htm
  • Car Baby Car Soap: http://www.fortransinc.com/Automotive.htm
  • Too Easy: http://www.betterwaycompany.com/purchase.html
  • Soap Nuts: http://stores.hotterthanhealth.com/StoreFront.bok

• Use “green” lube to operate your car lifts. Vegetable oil is great option.

Are you a mechanic? If so, what are you doing to go green with your small business? Leave a comment!

Pictures via sxc.hu.