Eco-Friendly Auto Repair

• Solar Power – Through our 194-panel, 48.5 kW Solar Array, we meet over 100% of our electricity needs. And, we give the surplus back to the electric companies, increasing the amount of available renewable energy in the grid.
• Retrofitted Light Fixtures – In 2011, we replaced all of our lights with energy efficient bulbs and fixtures, which reduced our electricity use by 30%.
• Insulated Garage Doors – When our garage doors needed replacing a few years ago, we took the opportunity to upgrade the whole shop with insulated doors. The energy savings (and increased comfort) has more than made up for the up-front investment.

• Minimized Packaging – We buy in bulk wherever feasible.
• We choose Office Supplies made from post-consumer recycled content – These products might cost a little more, but we feel it’s important to divert these materials from the landfill and to support a market for these items.
• Efficient Flooring –  When our office needed new carpet, we installed carpet tiles. Now when there’s a stain that can’t be cleaned, we just replace one tile piece instead of the whole floor.

We hire approved companies to regularly collect, recycle, and repurpose these materials:

• Paper, paperboard, cardboard, aluminum, steel & glass (In 2015 alone, we recycled 2570 lbs of commingled materials, diverted 91% of our “trash” from the landfill, and earned a “Zero Waste” certification from Eco-Cycle!) 
• Larger steel, aluminum & other metal pieces, including reclaimed heavy metals from catalytic converters & radiators
• Waste Oil (After collection, this is converted into raw materials, keeping the toxins out of our water system. We also take the extra step to crush used oil filters to extract all recyclable oil before they’re recycled)
• Tires (A state tax is paid on every tire we sell. This fee is put toward programs that encourage purchase of materials made from reprocessed tires. Our used tires are shredded and used for landscaping & playground mulch.)
• Waste Antifreeze (This is processed into recycled coolant, which keeps it out of the environment & reduces the need to manufacture more glycol from petroleum & natural gas.)

• Refrigerant: Is recovered during every air conditioning repair, cleaned & returned to the car when the repair is done.
• Auto Parts: Many “hard” parts (ie: engines, starters, alternators, clutches & transmissions) can be sent back to a manufacturer/specialist to be rebuilt or remanufactured. We return all old car batteries to the supplier; they’re melted down and remanufactured into brand new batteries.

• Lead-Free Wheel Weights
• “Green” Parts: We thoroughly research & only recommend green parts that deliver the promised savings—and that won’t damage your vehicle! 
• Paperless Communication: We use a digital system for processing customer information, work orders, inspections & internal communication.  We email invoices (saving an estimated 20,000 sheets of paper annually, which translates to 2,400 liters of water and a whopping 300 lbs of CO2 every year! In 2019, we implemented a new credit card payment system which eliminates the need to print credit card receipts. Plus now you have the option to pay on your phone.

From 2014 through 2023, we operated our own composting program as part of our commitment to environmental responsibility. During that time, we composted paper towels from our restrooms, food scraps from our employee lounge, and used compostable cups at our customer beverage station, along with compostable plates and utensils for employee lunch meetings.

In 2023, the City of Boulder transitioned to a Food Only composting policy, which changed the types of materials that could be accepted. As a result, these compostable items are no longer eligible for composting. While we are unable to continue the program under the current guidelines, we remain committed to reducing plastic use and continue choosing compostable products in anticipation of future program expansion.

We use:

• A special “heat & water” washer to clean parts. No chemicals!
• Environmentally friendly non-chlorinated cleaners & solvents
• Cloth towels & rags (no paper!) which are then specially cleaned to properly dispose of oil residue
• 100% contained floor cleaner on shop floors
• A sand trap to separate solids from wastewater, which are then hauled off by an approved waste disposal company and to keep plastic out of the landfill

• Parts & Suppliers: We work with environmentally-friendly parts suppliers whenever the quality meets our standards. For instance, we have chosen to purchase batteries manufactured by East Penn. Through their closed-loop system they recycle virtually 100% of every lead battery returned.  Their company is great for the environment and they make a very high-quality battery. We also buy local whenever possible.
• Green Organizations: Read about our partnerships with EnergySmart, Green Girl, The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment through the Environmental Leadership Program, PACE & other organizations that support environmentally conscientiousness.
• Hybrid, Electric Vehicle & New Technology Training: We invest in ongoing training to keep our technicians up-to-date on new green technologies.
• Shared Best Practices: We not only belong to organizations with like-minded businesses to help us identify ways to be even “greener,” we’ve also presented classes and hosted events for other auto repair shops, to share what we’re doing and help them be more green.  

• Consumer Education: We actively work to educate customers about opportunities to be environmentally responsible in the use and care of our cars. Read about it here: “Go Green With Your Car”
• We often host special green events, like our annual CHaRM on the Road event, where we collect gift wrap, bubble wrap, packaging foam, broken lights, and other holidays “trash,” from our customers and employees, and take them to the Hard to Recycle facility in Boulder.
• Employee Education: We invite Eco-cycle & Green Girl to periodically attend our meetings and keep us current with best practices & innovations.

Cars are changing rapidly to meet the new emissions standards. We are committed to keeping our technicians up to date on these new technologies with ongoing training and updated tools.