These days, going for the “green option” is not just a bandwagon call, it’s a way of life. A good number of enterprises, including the car wash industry, have joined the efforts to make environmental conservation an integral part of business philosophy with solar panels. Green business ideas abound not just because they are the in thing, but more importantly because they provide sustainable long-term solutions to our current problems.
Going Green
For example, the traditional conveyor belt car wash is slowly but steadily being replaced by other car care services that put the environment to the forefront. Environmental car wash technologies are built to use up as little non-renewable resources and to produce as little harmful by-products as possible. Steam cleaning is now picking up among car owners, because it delivers the same quality results as your conventional car wash but with so much less water and chemical usage. Another pro-environment option is the waterless car wash. As the name implies, you end up using a egligible amount of water to clean up your car inside and out, instead of the usual twenty gallons that is consumed every time you perform a do-it-yourself car wash at home.
Less harmful cleaning chemicals, waxes, and polishes are also being developed to help reduce the pollution content in wastewater from car wash jobs. This recognizes the fact that so the dirty runoff from your car can pollute natural aquifers, even with water treatment processes in place.
Reducing your Carbon Footprint
While solar car washes are not yet that popular, there are already a few auto detailing shops that make use of solar panels to produce their own electricity on-site.
A car wash facility consumes a lot of electricity. A wide range of tools and equipment require electricity to run, even the most environmentally-friendly ones: power washers, vacuum cleaners, steam cleaners, and polishing machines all need to be plugged in to work. Factor in all the lights, CCTV cameras, computers, alarm system, and all other gadgets and you get the picture of a facility that requires lots and lots of energy to function smoothly.
Installing solar panels on the roof of your detailing shop can decrease your carbon footprint by up to 17,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. At the same time, these panels can cut down your electricity dependency by as much as 30 percent. It’s also a great way to advertise your services—not only do you operate a green car wash, you also make use of the sun’s energy to perform the job.
Make the Switch Today
Having a greener lifestyle requires small but consistent sacrifices every day. You can use your car for a quick dash to the supermarket two blocks down, or you can just grab a canvas bag and take a walk. You can wash your car in the garage with lots of harmful chemicals or you can call in the professionals to do mobile detailing work wherever you may be. The important thing is that you realize that every small action can make a big contribution to solving our environmental problems today.
