Be a friend to our environment…
Dear EarthTalk: What is the most environmentally friendly way I can wash my car: doing it myself or going to the local car wash? -- Jim, Denton, TX
Few
people realize that washing our cars in our driveways is one of the
most environmentally un-friendly chores we can do around the house.
Unlike household waste water that enters sewers or septic systems and
undergoes treatment before it is discharged into the environment, what
runs off from your car goes right into storm drains -- and eventually
into rivers, streams, creeks and wetlands where it poisons aquatic life
and wreaks other ecosystem havoc. After all, that water is loaded with a
witch’s brew of gasoline, oil and residues from exhaust fumes -- as
well as the harsh detergents being used for the washing itself.Commercial Car Washes Treat Waste Water
On the other hand, federal laws in
both the U.S. and Canada require commercial carwash facilities to drain
their wastewater into sewer systems, so it gets treated before it is
discharged back into the great outdoors. And commercial car washes use
computer controlled systems and high-pressure nozzles and pumps that
minimize water usage. Many also recycle and re-use the rinse water. For more information
http://www.ecologreencarwash.com/
Washing your car at home uses more than 100 gallons of water, while washing your car in a professional car wash uses between 15-40 gallons.
Washing your car at home uses more than 100 gallons of water, while washing your car in a professional car wash uses between 15-40 gallons.
Florida is facing the most significant water crisis
in its history. Climate change and growing population significantly and
increasingly impact Florida’s rain fall that provide fresh water to our
homes.
The average American uses 100 to 175 gallons of water at home every day when an African family uses 5 gallons.
800 million gallons of water are wasted every day to wash cars in the United States = 10 billion glasses of fresh water!
Many women and young girls in developing countries
must walk as much as six miles every day to retrieve water for their
families.
Just like the website says… Shift Your Habit
Commercial Car Wash vs. Washing Your Car by Hand
TRUTH OR TRASH
Using a commercial car wash is more environmentally friendly than washing your car by hand.
TRUTHUsing a commercial car wash is more environmentally friendly than washing your car by hand.
The eco-issues related to car washing involve water consumption and water pollution.
On average, full-service car washes use between 8 and 45 gallons of water per vehicle. The average home wash with a hose and bucket can use more than 100 gallons.
Many commercial car washes limit their water usage by
recycling rinse water. They minimize pollution by either treating water
onsite, or pumping wastewater into the sewage system where it’s treated
downstream.
Washing your car in the driveway or on your lawn can
consume over ten times more water than would be used at a commercial car
wash. Home washes also result in huge amounts of dirty, grimy, soapy
water pouring into the gutter and down a storm drain.
Storm
drain water is not treated. So any chemicals in your car wash run-off
have a good chance of entering some local river, lake, or ocean where
they can injure fish or other aquatic species.
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