Going Green

I mentioned in my last post that we now use DuPont Cromax Pro, a waterborne paint.  With Cromax Pro no matter what color you came in, you’ll leave a little greener.  It’s one of several ways that Rick’s Paint and Body has taken steps to reduce our environmental footprint.  I’d like to touch on things we’re doing in the collision repair industry, and what you can do to join us in our effort to go green.

We can proudly say that we are Geico GreenLink shop.  It’s an extension of the CCAR-GreenLink program, and is designed to promote environmental stewardship in local repair facilities.  It also helps make sure that we’re meeting, and maintaining the highest level of environmental and safety standards.  In other words, it keeps us in check.  We’re delighted to be recognized as one of these facilities. 

Rick’s is also working daily to become a paperless facility.  We’re doing this by converting most of our printed documents into digital form.  Any documents that we need to print, are later scanned into digital files, and then shredded for recycling.  This includes not only the administrative offices, but the body and paint shops too.  We’re deeply aware that paper manufacturing contributes significantly to deforestation, and the production of greenhouse gases.  This effort has given us great satisfaction knowing we’re eliminating waste, but it has also increased productivity as well.  No more searching for or filing paper invoices, repair orders, or a multitude of other daily printed items.

These are just three of the way’s we have committed to protecting our environment.  What can you do?  Going green is easier than you think.  Just small changes in your daily routine can make a difference.  Listed below are a few great ideas I’ve stumbled across in my research for this assignment:

• Water – Do you have a toilet that runs constantly?  You could be wasting up to 200 gallons of water a day.  Repairing a leaky toilet can be a quick, and more than likely cheap fix.
• Plastic, Metal, & Paper Recycling – Stash a couple of dollar store plastic bins stashed near your garbage and items like soda bottles, cans, etc. can be tossed in with ease.  Here’s a list of Columbia County and Richmond County recycling centers.
• Vehicle Maintenance – The harder your car has to work to get you from A to B, means the more emissions it releases.  Something as simple as underinflated tires decrease fuel economy by up to three percent and lead to higher emissions.

We can all take simple, daily steps to protect our natural resources for the next generation.  Not sure what items are recyclable?  Here’s a great link that explains recycling symbols, which identify if (or which part) a package can be recycled.  Even if you only incorporate one of these ideas, you’ve still started the begining of green habits.  We invite you to join us in our ongoing efforts to Go Green!