The Benefits of Going Green

Mark Brock Vice President of MarketingCSI - Lustra Car Care Products

Overview•What is “green”

•Why is “green” important

•Steps toward being “green”

•Opportunities to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly

•Green chemistry

•Ideas on conservation

•Importance of marketing

What is “Green”?“Green” refers to the design, commercialization and use of processes and products that are feasible and economical while reducing the generation of pollution at the source and while minimizing the risk to human health and the environment.

Source: The Urban Green Partnership

Green means Green…

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What does “Green” mean to our industry?•Household washing can be

harmful

•Communities are banning household washing

•Commercial car wash is better for the environment

•Public awareness

•Car washes commitment to the environment is important to consumers

• Implementing “green” initiatives sends a clear message

What is the future of “Green”?•Movement towards “green”

•Manufacturers of consumer products are making changes

•Major retailers are defining and implementing sustainable initiatives in products, packaging and operations

•Consumer perception is growing

•Green practices can provide an advantage

Eco-Facts - Water Statistics•4/5 of our planet is water

•3% is fresh water

•0.5% fresh water is usable by humans

Recycling•Consumers are more aware of recycling

•Youngest members of the family are learning the impact on the environment

•Recycling aluminum - revenue stream

• One aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours or the equivalent of a half gallon of gasoline

•A recycled can is back on the grocery shelf in as little as 60 days

Paper Recycling•Sunday newspapers - 500,000

trees

•Recycling a single run of New York Times saves 75,000 trees

• If all newspapers were recycled it would save 250 million trees each year

Plastic Recycling•2.5 million plastic bottles used every hour

•Most bottles are being thrown away

Make Recycling Easy•Provide recycling containers by trash receptacles

•Place next to gas pumps, entrance to the car wash and/or in front of the store

•A simple step - big impact

•Cash for cans

Getting Started•Look at your site as a whole

•Start small and build on a plan

•Be consistent

•Make sure ALL you do reflects on your decision to become more “green”

Greenwashing•Companies misleading customers with false

claims about a product or service

•Seven Sins of Greenwashing (Source: TerraChoice)• Hidden Trade-Off• No Proof• Vague Claims• Worship of False Labels• Irrelevant• Lesser of the Two Evils• Lies or Fibs

•Make sure what you do is truly green with the facts to prove it

Source: greenecocommunities.com and www.thedailygreen.com

Percentage of Product Committing Each Sin (USA)

Hidden Trade Off 73%

No Proof 59%

Vagueness 56%

Worshiping False Labels 24%

Irrelevance 8%

Lesser of Two Evils 4%

Fibbing 0%

Comprehensive Plan•Leverage innovation

•EnergyStar.gov - rating energy efficient appliances

•Do business with companies with high environmental standards

•Enforce your commitment to the environment through your support of these businesses

ISO Environmental Standards•Develop performance objectives and

regulations

•Elimination of wastes, pollution and negative impact

•Do business with certified companies ensures they

align to the ISO standards

•These types of companies can also provide ideas and direction for you

•Know who you are doing business with and what they offer

Grants, Loans and Incentives•Visit business.gov

for small business programs for green initiatives

•Canada - check with Natural Resources Canada

Develop a Plan•Look at your business for opportunities

•Discover ways to add green initiatives

•Start with what is easy and economical

•Add initiatives as your time and budget allows

Green Chemistry•Select chemicals to align to green initiatives

•Choose high performing products that don’t have a negative impact

• Innovative products

•Products that are FREE from HF (hydrofluoric acid), ABF (Ammonium Bifluoride), NPE (Nonylphenol Ethoxylates), aromatic solvents, formaldehyde and are biodegradable

•Less chemicals will offer less impact and save money

ICA on HF/ABF“Because of the human toxicity of HF and ABF… the association strongly recommends that car wash owners not use HF or ABF.”

ICA - February 2010

Detergents•Tend to be more harmful

•Choose soaps that are phosphate free and biodegradable

•Phosphates can get into our water supply

•Some communities have banned the use of phosphates in commercial car washes - be proactive

•Biodegradable detergents breakdown to non-environmentally hazardous materials

Specialty Products•Know what is in them

•Water based has a low environmental impact

•Solvent based products have more environmental impact

Sealant and Drying Agents•Generally adhere to the vehicles

•Biodegradability of these products is low

•Applied in low volumes

Packaging•Are your cartons, bottles, liners and protective

layers recyclable?

•Packaging represents 65% of household trash

•1/3 average dump site contains packaging materials

•Make sure you are able to recycle your packaging

Water Conservation•Reclaim systems

• Reduce water use

• Savings on water and sewer bills

•Expensive to purchase but save money

•Requires management of the system

Reclaim SavingsTypical Fresh Water Usage (gal/car)

In-Bay Conveyor Friction

Conveyor Touchless

No Reclaim 50-60 65.8 85.3

Stage 1 - Separation Only

30 34.8 70

% reduction 40-50% 53% 18%

Stage 2 - Filtration

8 7.8-13.8 16.8-31.8

Total % of reduction

85%-87% 79%-88% 63%-80%

Water Conservation•Water softener or R.O. (Reverese Osmosis)

System• Reject water can be used as a mid-rinse

• Watering lawns or site plants

•Landscaping - chose drought tolerant plants, shrubs and trees that require little water

General Water Conservation• Look for leaks - worn nozzles waste

water and product

• Make sure equipment is in good workingorder

• The higher the pressure in your wash the less water needed

• Add rain barrels to collect water for plants

•Rain garden on the roof can provide water direct from nature

•Water Savers at www.carwash.org

Conservation of Energy• Innovations in energy savings

•Lighting - highly efficient fixtures and bulbs

•Energy credits and incentives for efficiency upgrades

•Make sure equipment is sized right for intended use

•Solar energy

•Vacuums with variable frequency drive

What you can do right away?• Supply recycle containers

• Upgrade your lighting to brighter highly efficient lights

• Electric bill could drop by 2/3 (Source: Orion Engineered Systems)

• Evaluate your chemicals, making sure they are safe

• Compare solution suppliers’ green aspects

• Start sharing your efforts with the community

Getting the Message Out•Leverage these green ideas

• Importance of marketing all aspects

• Inform your customers of the your advantages

Esty/Winston“The most successful green marketing starts with the traditional selling points - price, quality and performance - and only then mentions environmental attributes.”

Getting the Message Out•Use product offerings to show

consumers the advantage

• Informing customers of green aspects can be your differentiator

•Create a meaningful program

•Ask your chemical supplier for tools to help get your message out

Getting the Message Out•Come up with a tag line

•Develop a spokes figure (something that suggests green)

Getting the Message Out•Review your point of sale

•Show consumers green is important

Getting the Message Out

Getting the Message Out•Find out if your chemical

supplier has a green program

•Create your own program

•Be sure to be able to back your claims

•Seek help for your point of sale designs if needed

•Send a positive message about the benefits of your wash

Getting the Message Out•Sign stating you have reclaim system

•Sign listing features in your wash that are green

•Use receipts to communicate the message

•Display ads in community newspapers

Getting the Message Out•Plan events around Earth Day

(offer specials)

•Plan a launch of your “green” wash

•Send messages to area schools offering eco-friendly fundraisers

•Contact the media (local radio or TV)

•Donate to a local wildlife conservation group

Getting the Message Out•Update your website with green

initiative information

•Leverage social media

•Facebook has over 500 million users

•Don’t ignore targeting a younger demographic

Conclusion•What benefits “green” can provide your wash

•Begin a plan of your own

•Leverage this as an opportunity

•Build a program

•Make each initiative true

•Make the commitment

Questions?