Wild Fires, Ozone Depletion, Drought, Disposable Seat Covers?
The tide is turning, ever so slowly, yet turning. Even in the auto service industry.
Cities and corporations are looking more and more into ways of changing their carbon footprint. Disposable is turning into a four letter word for many people, yet when one watches product advertising, it seems that for every "green" product emerging, there is still a disposable counterpart being created.
Recent news of wildfires in California, the Northwest Passage across the northern frontiers of Canada being navigable for the first time ever, the receding polar ice cap, weather "abnormalities", all show the effects of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG's) on our planet.
I do believe we can bring back ecological harmony and there is another thing we can all do in the ever growing list of things that can be done to help achieve this.
A Canadian company has identified another major source of GHG's and landfill waste and this is in the auto service industry. (Yes...our beloved car) Disposable seat and floor covers that shops and dealerships use to protect car interiors from grease, oil etc. while being serviced is a major "hidden" source of GHG's & landfill waste because the service consumer just doesn't know this is happening.
People drop off their cars for service, and behind that service door, the mechanic or service rep is putting on a disposable seat & floor cover to avoid any nasty messes that may occur while in for service. Once they're done, into the landfill it goes, and of course, when they run out, more are ordered and more are produced. A cycle that can be reversed very easily.
Globally, it is estimated that over 400,000 tons of GHG's are emitted into our air annually, just from the production of these disposables. Each disposable cover equals roughly 6 disposable shopping bags so the waste grows exponentially in comparison.
As with the shopping bag conversion to reusables, so can the conversion to reusable seat & floor covers be a painless effort on the part of the motoring public.
A simple "I have my own cover" can reduce GHG's on a personal level by almost 2 pounds for every 6 times you go in for service. Roughly one pound of disposables won't enter the landfill stream.
We may love our car, but a lot of us service them grudgingly, so why should we go out and supply our own covers? One could say the same thing about grocery stores, yet here we are, gladly purchasing reusable shopping bags. It's a matter of personal responsibility in my view. A few bucks put towards a reusable seat & floor cover is an investment into ourselves. Humanity is in constant need of these small "injections" on a personal level, and why not feel good about doing something that affects the whole planet? A very small price to pay for a global effect.
So give it some thought next time you're in your favorite shop or dealership getting service done. Take a look at that big dumpster out back and know that it can be a little lighter because you've taken a small step, an easy step, to be just a little more conscious of another form of GHG and waste reduction.
Always thank yourself for what you have and are doing. Personal pride goes a long way.
About the Author
Roland Zikmanis is president & ceo of Clearwater Impex Group Inc. He has seen first hand the disposal and manufacture of plastic products and is now advocating the use of reusable materials in industry. He invites any and all comments to clear@kingston.net or at www.ecoautosupply.com.
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