Media celebrity and recently published author Glenn Beck may want the public to think global warming is a myth, but the automotive aftermarket is taking steps to alleviate the planetary crisis. In the past few months, dozens of products and programs have been launched by the industry to help protect and preserve the environment. Here's a short list of the newest initiatives that made headlines, and turned heads, in the last year: - Green Earth Technologies unveiled G-OIL, a high-endurance motor oil that is 100 percent biodegradable, at the 2007 Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX). G-OIL is guaranteed to protect engines as well as the leading brands, but without the environmental hazards or dependence on foreign oil.
- AAMCO launched its Eco-Green Auto Service Certification to reduce the environmental footprint of its shops and provide customers with a new range of services that cut emissions, improve mileage and reduce the hazardous waste associated with owning and maintaining their vehicles.
- E3 Spark Plugs will donate 1 percent of company revenue from all spark plugs sold between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, 2007 to the Nature Conservancy in recognition of Climate Change Day.
- The California Air Resources Board (CARB) recently approved several anti-idle devices manufactured by Webasto Product North America, adding that the company’s green technologies meet or out-perform the state’s new standards for air quality that are scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2008.
- Coleman Cable Inc. announced the complete removal of lead and other hazardous materials from its Road Power line of universal battery cables. The lead-free, RoHS Compliant battery cables are sold under the Maximum Energy™ brand name.
- Alcoa’s commitment to environmental excellence and social responsibility has earned the company a "Best in Class" designation from Storebrand Investments. Alcoa also qualified for the Storebrand Best in Class mutual funds and other Storebrand SRI (Socially Responsible Investment) mandates.
- Philips Automotive Lighting North America has made it part of its company mission to reduce energy consumption in its products, its manufacturing methods and its packaging. The company makes cadmium, mercury and lead free products, and recycles materials.
- Durakon Industries announced that both Duraliner® and All Star® bedliners are now manufactured with almost 100 percent recycled and recyclable material. The company also has launched corporate initiatives to conserve energy, reclaim used water and build wetlands at its corporate headquarters.
- PPG Industries has joined Energy Star, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and is working to develop an energy reduction plan for all of its manufacturing facilities.
- At the end of October, California Attorney General Jerry Brown threatened to sue the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) if the organization did not rule on the Golden State’s request for a waiver under the Clean Air Act that would allow it to impose tougher-than-federal regulations on the emissions of greenhouse gases from cars, pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles within the state.
- Four Seasons Inc., a leader in the aftermarket parts industry, recently displayed its remanufactured compressors in the Green Zone during AAPEX to highlight its environmentally friendly manufacturing processes. "We were thinking 'green' long before it became popular," says Benny Araujo, marketing manager for Four Seasons. "In fact, remanufacturing has been recycling for more than 50 years. Reman saves valuable resources by reusing them for a valuable product."
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