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Jed Boal ReportingA green business movement is gaining momentum in Salt Lake City, as businesses commit to environmental health and economic achievement.
The city supports this trend. One new business is the first of its kind in the region.
E-2 stands for environmentally friendly and economically sustainable. And one local businessman, following that model, just opened up shop with services than can be tough on the environment.
We use thousands of gallons of water to wash our cars each year, which usually runs right down the drain. And quart after quart of used motor oil goes to waste, or pollutes, unless properly disposed of. Many of us use a drive-through wash and lube, but rarely consider the environmental impact.
John Thomson has given it a lot of thought, and opened Starwash on 1480 South and 3rd West.
John Thomson/Business Owner: "Take the car wash industry and the quick lube industry. Both are about as un-environmentally friendly as you can get."
He offers a low-cost, high-quality service, while recycling 85-percent of the wash water.
John Thomson/Business Owner: "We recycle it, filter it, clean it, and run it right back through the system. So we're using as little water as possible."
The shop also recycles 100-percent of its waste oil to heat the buildings, chemicals and water.
Thomson says it was an expensive business to build, but he expects a good return on his investment and to save 40 or 50 thousand dollars a year on his energy bills. Plus, the customer we talked to liked the car wash.
Kaye Nesse/Car Wash Customer: "To recycle all this stuff, it's the only way to go now."
This is the 43rd E-2 business to work with the city.
Rocky Anderson/Mayor of Salt Lake City:"It's all about beig sustainable environmentally and economically. They're going to do well financially, but they're also taking steps that make a lot of sense in terms of conservation and environmental practice."
More businesses are fine-tuning with those principles in mind.
Rocky Anderson/Mayor of Salt Lake City: "This is definitely the model, the economy of the future. It's what's going to help us save our planet."
The prices for both services are about what you'd pay elsewhere, the basic wash is even cheaper.
The owner hopes to open six or seven more locations along the Wasatch Front, and may eventually sell alternative fuels.
