Author: rcwater

Pollution Solution: Recycle your Used Motor Oil

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Changing your own motor oil is a smart way to save money, but carelessly tossing the used sludge can have serious repercussions on our creeks, rivers and lakes. Along with hazardous chemicals, used motor oil is loaded with lead, arsenic, and other metallic compounds that wear off from your engine over time. When dumped into storm drains, poured onto the ground, or even thrown into black bins in a sealed container, this oil can reach waterways and cause contamination that can make us sick and kill water-dwelling plants and animals.

Thankfully, it’s easy to keep your DIY oil change eco-friendly.

  • When doing an oil change, use a drip pan to collect any spills. If a spill occurs, soak it up using an absorbent material such as kitty litter or sawdust and scoop into a sealed container.
  • Store your used motor oil in a sealed container completely free of leaks and drop it off at a certified used oil collection center.
  • Don’t forget your oil filter. Filters store more than 10 ounces of oil—even after they’re drained—so they should never be tossed in the trash. Place filters in a sealed plastic bag and call your collection center before you go to make sure they accept them.
  • Keep your new motor oil green by choosing re-refined oil, a product that’s recycled from used motor oil and then reprocessed. Though they’re not nearly as heavily marketed as standard motor oils, re-refined oils are just as high-performing and may be even more effective than virgin crude oil.
  • Lastly, watch for oil leaks and fix it right away. Leaking motor oil washes from the street into storm drains when it rains.

How Can I Conserve Water?

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That is the question everyone has been asking ever since Governor Brown urged every Californian to cut their water use by 20%. On average, Riverside residents use around 70 million gallons of water each day. To keep in step with the Governor’s proposal, we each need to save about 15 gallons a day.

Luckily there are some simple ways to conserve water in the home that can really add up.

  • Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth: 10 gallons
  • Install a low-flow showerhead: 12.5 gallons
  • Shorten your shower to 5 minutes: 12.5 gallons
  • Use the light wash setting on your dishwasher (and don’t pre-rinse): 8 gallons
  • Put aerators in kitchen and bathroom sinks: 3 gallons

To conserve more water outside of the home, try the following tips when tending to your lawns and gardens:

  • Let the grass grow to twice the typical length. The denser grass will help reduce evaporation and lessen your need to water.
  • Plant drought-resistant native plants, which have adapted to our low-water climate and won’t need regular watering after they’ve been established.
  • Install spray nozzles for your hoses to keep water from gushing out as you move it around the yard.
  • Clean driveways and walkways with a broom—not a hose.
  • Turn off sprinklers in the parkway between the street and the lawn. The Western Municipal Water District is offering rebates for high-efficiency sprinkles nozzles and free precision spray nozzles while supplies last!
  • Replace your thirsty grass lawn with drought-friendly designs.

For more water conservation tips, visit Save Your Water or the Metropolitan Water District.

In what ways are you already conserving water in your life?

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