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Green Practices
OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT
Every day we look to reduce, reuse, and recycle all products that we use in our business. We encourage our vendors to do the same and to be Green as well. Whenever available, we purchase our parts from vendors who deliver with the eco-friendly Prius. We also request less packaging and offer our green bags as a way to transport parts to help eliminate the waste of plastic bags and boxes.
A+ Japanese Auto Repair, Inc. was certified as the First Green Auto Repair Business. We made it our mission to be the leaders in the automotive industry not only for the highest level of service but also for sustainable environmental and business practices. We actively seek new technologies, products, and techniques to continue to reduce our carbon footprint.
ENERGY REDUCTION
In July 2007, we renovated all 252 lighting fixtures in our shop. We replaced the energy sucking magnetic ballast and 40 watt t-12 florescent bulbs to the highly efficient electronic ballast with new 32 watt t-8 bulbs. We have replaced 40 lights with four skylights and it allows us to enjoy the natural light from the sun.
SOLID WASTE
Since 2006, we have taken steps to reduce our solid waste by 85% and we now recycle everything except for food waste and certain mixed trash. We have not yet requested food waste pickup because... well... our team will usually lick their plate clean before they throw away any food...
Our waste steel, aluminum, and copper is taken to Sim’s Metal Recycling at the Port of Redwood City to be recycled and melted back into stock. Our waste tires are picked up on-site and sent off to a facility in the east bay to separate the metal and rubber. The rubber from the tires is transformed into floor mats for your house and work place.
We also return certain parts to the manufacturer so they can rebuild them and put the remanufactured product back into service. We now have one 55 gallon trash bin that never gets full and 12 different recycle bins for metal, cardboard, and plastic.
LIQUID WASTE
There are certain liquid wastes that all automotive companies must dispose of. We chose our waste disposal company based on their environmental practices. Our engine and transmission oil is taken directly to the Oakland shipping yards and used as fuel for large ocean bound ships. Our waste coolant is taken to large manufacturing facilities to be used as coolant in the machining business.
"We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive."
-Albert Einstein
OTHER COOL GREEN STUFF
“Greening Your Business” Nov. 13th 2008
Our shop’s master technician, Eric Sevim, was chosen as a panelist speaker for the event “Greening Your Business” held at Electronic Arts on November 13, 2008. He was joined by Joseph Stagner from Stanford University, Jay Bechtel from Google, Inc., Ted Huang from Webcor Builders, and Gail Slocum from PG&E to help businesses become aware of the economic benefit for “Green Your Business”.
Recognition from the San Carlos Chamber for our efforts and leadership to become “Green”
http://www.sancarloschamber.org/pdfs/February%202009%20newsletter.pdf
Auto Repair Waste Reduction Resources
You can help us with our goal to reduce auto repair waste by utilizing the resources below for your used motor oil. Used motor oil, if discarded improperly, can cause serious devastation to our environment.
Let's work together to help reduce our impact on the environment and make our world a better place for our children.
Please click on the logos below to be directed to their site for more information.
Thank you!
SAN MATEO SOUTH COUNTY HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION LOCATIONS
http://www.menlopark.org/departments/env/SC_HHW.pdf
Allied Waste at (650) 592-2411
County of San Mateo RecycleWorks Program
555 County Center, 5th Floor
Redwood City, CA 94063
RecycleWorks Hotline: 1-888-442-2666
Used Oil Recycling Program http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/UsedOil/
Contact: UsedOilHHW@ciwmb.ca.gov
(916) 341-6457
Water Pollution Prevention Program
c/o City/County Association of Governments
2000 Alameda De Las Pulgas, Suite 100
San Mateo, CA 94403
E-mail: pollutionprevention@co.sanmateo.ca.us
Phone: (650) 372-6200
Fax: (650) 627-8244
