Driving the Message about Carwashing and the Environment

LONDON, ON, June 6, 2013 /CNW/ - On June 15, 2013, 25 carwashes in the City of London, Ontario will be participating in the Protect our Environment Carwash Event sponsored by the City of London and the Canadian Carwash Association (CCA). A portion of the proceeds from these carwashes, which should be somewhere between $6,000 and $10,000 based on pledges received to date, will be donated to the London Food Bank as part of the 17^th Annual London Cares Curbside Food Drive.

"The Canadian Carwash Association is honoured to have been invited to contribute to the London Cares Curbside Food Drive. The Protect Our Environment Carwash Event is a unique way to bring attention to environmental issues that threaten local waterways. With proceeds going to the London Food Bank, the CCA and the people of London are able to support two key issues that affect the community. We are thrilled to be one of many supporters this year," said Jorge de Mendonca, Executive Director, Canadian Carwash Association.

Participating CCA members in the London Cares event are:

• Petro-Canada (11 sites)
• Shell Canada (7 sites)
• Auto Spa Self Server Carwash (2 sites)
• Miami Carwash (2 sites)
• Husky (1 site)
• Pioneer Energy (1 site)
• Springbank Coin-Op Carwash (1 site)

Specific locations for the individual sites can be found at www.canadiancarwash.ca/londoncares/.

Richard McKinnon, owner of two Miami Carwash locations in London, will be one of the carwash operators donating proceeds from the June 15^th activities. "It's important to me to give back to the same community which allows me to earn a living and provide for my family. Educating my customers about how professional carwashes help the environment is an added bonus. I think the City of London has done a great job at merging these two causes very well," said McKinnon.

Using a commercial carwash ensures that aquatic environments are protected from the harmful effects of dirty water entering the storm sewer systems. Storm sewer grates on many municipal streets are meant only for rainwater or melted snow because they generally flow to nearest waterway. In order to prevent unwanted chemicals from entering storm sewers many municipalities, including the City of London, have a Sewer Use Bylaw that controls the quality and quantity of substances discharged into the sanitary and storm water sewer systems.

This project is part of CCA's efforts to encourage municipalities to hold similar events to promote the environmental benefits of professional carwashing over driveway washing. More information on the municipal toolkit being prepared can be found on the CCA website. Communities interested in having the CCA involved in similar events should contact CCA ([email protected]) to find out how to participate.

Founded in the late 1950s, the Canadian Carwash Association (CCA) is a membership association representing operators, suppliers and manufacturers from the carwash industry. The CCA currently represents 150 members with more than 1,100 carwash operations across Canada. The national office is located in Toronto. For more information, please visit www.canadiancarwash.ca.

For more details about this story please visit www.canadiancarwash.ca/newsroom/. 

SOURCE: Canadian Carwash Association

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