it's a dirty job

Of all the chores that we do around the house, washing the car is one of the most environmentally un-friendly. The water that runs off is chock-full of chemicals (gasoline, oil, exhaust residue etc), not to mention the phosphate-laden soap itself. This toxic brew bypasses the sewers and septic systems, avoiding treatment, and is allowed to enter the storm drains directly. It makes its way from there into our rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands where it poisons the flora and fauna and threatens our fragile ecosystem.

What you can do:
Good – If you are going to wash your car at home, choose an environmentally-friendly detergent, such as Simple Green’s Car Wash, or make your own concentrate by mixing one cup of liquid dishwashing detergent and 3/4 cup of powdered laundry detergent (each should be chlorine- and phosphate-free and non-petroleum-based) with 10 litres of water. Use this concentrate sparingly with water over exterior car surfaces. Rather than washing the car on the driveway or in the street, wash it over the grass to allow the soil to neutralize the toxic waste water. Be sure to keep children and animals off of the wet grass when you are done.

Better – Take your vehicle to a commercial car wash. Federal laws in both Canada and the U.S. require commercial carwash facilities to drain their wastewater into sewer systems. The water is treated by the municipal water plant before it is discharged back into nature. Also, commercial car washes make use of computer-controlled systems and high-pressure nozzles and pumps to minimize water usage. According to the International Carwash Association, automatic car washes average less than 45 gallons per car use, while washing a car at home typically uses between 80 and 140 gallons of water.

Best – Seek out and frequent an eco-friendly commercial car wash. These businesses go a little further to “clean up” the process, employing state-of-the-art technology such as on-site filtration, rainwater gathering, and use of alternative energy sources. Just do a quick Google search for “eco-friendly car wash” (plus your location) to find your local facility. Your car AND the fishes will thank you!