Car Wash Industry aims to stop driveway washing

[Peter Crowl]

That`s the underlying message of this piece from PC&D... and the way California goes so goes the rest of the nation on these issues. What will our long term plan be to either fight this trend of live with it`s results.



Green carwashing recognized by Schwarzenegger



SANTA CLARITA, CA â€â€� Local public relations consultant Stephanie Weiss was recently recognized by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for her work in promoting environmentally-friendly carwashing, The Signal reported on Jan. 21.



Weiss was honored for her work in teaching carwash owners how to design, develop and implement charity carwash programs from both a community service and an environmental protection perspective, eliminating wastewater from carwash operations, the news service reported.



****The governor and the state`s Environmental Protection Agency wrote that Weiss` work sends a clear and concise message about the harmful effects of driveway washing and the importance of community collaboration, the article said. ****



"I was shocked. Recognition for my work came as complete surprise," Weiss said in the article. Weiss told the news service that she had been working with both individual carwash owners and members of the Western Carwash Association (WCA) for a number of years now.



According to the article, Schwarzenegger became familiar with her work when she submitted the WCA as a candidate for the Governor`s 2004 Environmental and Economic Leadership Award. While the association didn`t receive the award, Weiss was recognized for her work in the campaign.





Peter..concerned...in Denver

[crobinso]

I`m not sure what Aaanold is looking for - to eliminate commercial carwashes, carwashing by residents, or both. I know this, though: People will NOT drive in dirty cars. California is going to have to implement SOMETHING, and to me, as a newbie detailer (of my own car), I`d say the best way to go is to implement bucket washing only.



Aaanold could get members of detailing forums, such as Autopia, to make "How-To" videos, to be broadcast on TV as PSAs (Public Service Announcements). We can show everyone how to use a coupla gallons of water (if that much), and a FEW chemicals to clean, polish, and wax our cars. There would be no need for gobs of Dawn or Joy to be used. There would be no need to run the garden hose for 3 hours just to wash a Geo. There would be no need to spray a half a bottle of BLING! Tire Shine (silicone based) onto one`s tires (and also onto the pavement).



What do you say, brothers and sisters? Shall we unite? :usa



Charles

[tom p.]

This is an issue that isn`t going to go away. I think there are EPA regs in place right now which effectively ban home car washing but there`s nobody available to enforce it. Someone posted details last year. Sort of chilling but there`s much concern about groundwater pollution, etc. Some of the chemicals we use certainly are not very friendly.



Towns will also look to reduce the amount of water used by every household and car washing is surely to get the axe. our town is trying to comply with regulations laid down by the state. They say most towns are pulling way too much water out of the aquifers everyday....they want household consumption to be reduced to 65 gallons/day. Again, no way to enforce it.

[topnotchtouch]

If this goes further you can bet products like QEW will become more and more popular. I don`t see why there aren`t more companies producing something like it already.

[gearhead]

Take fewer showers?? Don`t flush the toilet??? :p

[imported_The Uncle]

If I might paraphrase the NRA, you will have to pry that hose out of my dead lifeless hands. I spend $370,000 on a home with a garage so I can wash and wax my car every weekend. No way I am giving that up!

[Inzane]

Originally posted by tom p.

Towns will also look to reduce the amount of water used by every household and car washing is surely to get the axe. our town is trying to comply with regulations laid down by the state. They say most towns are pulling way too much water out of the aquifers everyday....they want household consumption to be reduced to 65 gallons/day. Again, no way to enforce it.

The average 10-15 minute SHOWER people take every morning probably consumes more water than a proper driveway car washing.



People sure like to bark up the wrong tree sometimes. Kind of like going after car wax VOCs to combat the air pollution problems.

[Peter Crowl]

I think we can all agree that we want to be environmentally conscious... but having said that what`s our plan going to be?



Take our cars to the Scrape `n Shine and then bring them home to try and mitigate the damage? I mean it`s one thing for the products producers to formulate things that meet VOC restrictions and so forth. and for us to grumble that they don`t perform like the good old days.....but this is about washing...and it isn`t even about the water useage. It`s about run-off. Forget agricultural run-off as the biggest offender...we`re an easier target. How will we deal with this?



Classic Car collectors fight public policy intrusion into their hobby constantly via their associations. Who`s responsible for fighting for our interests on a grass root level?



Forgive me for going off on a rant...but this is really a problem.. and if the experience of the Old Car Hobby guys is any indication..we`d better get organized and plan to deal with this pronto.



crobinso is on the right path.





Peter..in Denver

[adp]

yes, runoff is the bigger issue, though some places also have water use to worry about (well, most places have water use to worry about)



There are some interesting ideas re this topic. For example, many cities regulate copper (and other metal) discharges from factories. Most factories have been doing all they can to get the metals out of their discharges. I`ve read that a significant source of metal in our waterways is now from cars - brake pad dust contains a lot of metal. Yes, they`ve reformulated brake pads (to remove the asbestos) and have even reformulated some to remove metals, but I don`t believe this has progressed. Maybe the industries being asked to reduce their metal discharges can, instead, fund programs to get cars washed at places that treat the water to remove metals, thus reducing the metal in our waterways.

[RCBuddha]

Originally posted by The Uncle

If I might paraphrase the NRA, you will have to pry that hose out of my dead lifeless hands. I spend $370,000 on a home with a garage so I can wash and wax my car every weekend. No way I am giving that up!

I agree...i`d say that most car wash owners pollute a heck of a lot more than the average household!

[Mark Waldron]

We have large corporations polluting our air, feeding us hormone fed animal meat, putting chemicals in our food that I can`t pronounce, packaging almost everything in plastics that pollute our earth and don`t break down in our landfills, waste more water than I would in a million lifetimes, and all the other things that we could write about for weeks! Let`s try to stop world hunger! How about getting everyone a good education with proper medical care. In short, I think there`s alot more important things for the politicians to worry about than worrying about us washing our cars in our driveways.

[the other pc]

What they are trying to reduce are contaminated wastewater runoff and overall water usage.



Some places (not just in California) with sensitive eco-systems downstream already have runoff laws and have banned driveway car washing.



In California we have the double whammy of living in a desert so we have limited water to begin with (and too damn many people keep moving here demanding more and more water). Enforcing reduced usage is easier here because the majority of homes are supplied by municipal water and have meters.



It`s ridiculous to watch the average home car washer around here. The vast majority just turn on the spigot and let a ton of the water just flow down the driveway, into the gutter and out to the ocean. Saving water is as simple as using a shutoff valve on your hose but almost nobody does it.



Most shampoos are biodegradable these days but it still takes time for them to break down. When you see all the crap that washes up on our beaches after a rain it`s easy to see why there are a lot of people upset over runoff. I can`t say I feel entirely comfortable with driveway washing myself but at least I use the least amounts of water and soap practical and I always dump my buckets onto the lawn instead of the gutter.



If it came down to it I would be willing to pay for a catch system for runoff and either spread it over the ground or pump it (filtered if needed) into the sewer



Of course the carwash industry is all for banning home washing. They`d get to proclaim their environmental friendliness all the way to the bank.





PC.

[Gonzo]

Next thing you know California will legislate the mandatory comsumption of grass and twigs, but it will also be legislated that passing gass as a consequence of said diet is harmful to the environment and will no longer be tolerated. In fact there will be guys running around with methane sniffers and if the methane in your immediate vicinity is above 0.0000001 parts per billion you will be issued a citation, requiring time off work to attend court and justify your situation in front of a judge.

[travisdecpn]

I have a huge problem with this. I am against water conservation for the simple fact that when we conserve, the cities stockpile the water which they use as a new base to allow more building/homsite permits for the following year. Then when the houses are built they consume more water then what is actually available. It`s incredibly stupid on the part of city planners, just this year an additional 7000 permits were given out in SLO county which is already low on water. We reclaim most of our water and the rest is treated before it enters the ocean.

[Peter Crowl]

People...we can all go on and on about how ridiculous these things are....I`ll toss the obvious question -- how about fluid leaks from all those cars? Isn`t that hazardous run-off? -- in the fire...





BUT





Is there a way we can stay focused on what it is we plan to do to protect our interests?



The Car Wash industry is a large lobby. They are well funded. Regardless of the merits of the arguments for or against home car washing..they have a vested interest in vilifying it, and it`s an easy way for politicians to claim they`re "doing something".



Are we going to do anything to offset them or not?



Will the people who make the products we use help us and in turn themselves? Will the people in the distribution chain?



It might take a few years...but the sky really is falling.



Peter..in Denver