
Summer is finally here, and that means destination vacations, beach days, camping trips, music festivals…and more time in your car. No road trip is complete without a cool playlist! Check out these classic “songs” for tips to keep your vehicle, and the environment, in great condition:
Talkin’ About the Car Wash (Rose Royce, 1976): Wash away the grime of freeways, sand, and dirt at a car wash that reclaims the wastewater. If you choose to wash at home, park your vehicle on a permeable surface (like your yard), use biodegradable phosphate-free cleaners with a hose that has an auto shut-off nozzle. This prevents wastewater from washing into the storm drains and into our local watersheds.
Life is a Highway (covered by Rascal Flatts, 2006) : Your car will get better gas mileage on the highways with consistent upkeep. Replace fluids on schedule. Use a funnel and drip pan to collect spills and clean up with an absorbent material like kitty litter or a wet/dry vacuum. Never hose down your work area because harmful pollutants could be washed into the storm drains. Routine maintenance of your car will help to prevent leakage of harmful fluids, save money on car repair, and protect our watersheds.
You Gotta Keep Em’ Separated (Come Out and Play, OffSpring, 1994): Mixed waste fluids are not accepted for recycling. Collect, store and recycle used automotive fluids like motor oil, antifreeze, transmission fluid and gear oil separately. Take fluids, filters, and batteries to a Riverside County household hazardous waste collection center or automotive center.