Douglas Magazine
July/August, 2011
Victoria Transmission and Auto Care has entered into a partnership with Sierra Club of British Columbia to develop an overall sustainability strategy, as well as everyday business activities that allow it to be more environmentally sensitive.
Victoria Transmission and Auto Care’s facility on Government Street is already a “dry shop”, meaning they do not wash any oil, lubricants, or chemicals into the drains; they are also transitioning to more power-conscious lighting systems.
“The partnership with Sierra Club BC is a significant sign of our intent to become the greenest automotive shop in B.C.,” says co-owner Adam Sullivan. “We recognize that many people here on the West Coast take environmental stewardship very seriously, and as a business we are extremely committed to being a leader in this area.”
As a part of its effort to be the greenest automotive service, repair, and maintenance shop in the province, Victoria Transmission & Auto Care is also launching several environmentally friendly maintenance packages featuring a green oil change that uses re-refined, fully recycled oil. This product requires 85 percent less energy to create than non-recycled oil as well as 50 times less raw crude oil per barrel. The shop also uses fully synthetic transmission fluid, which can last up to three times longer than conventional fluid, greatly cutting down on waste while generating optimal vehicle performance.
Changing to a green shop hasn’t been easy, or cheap, Sullivan tells Douglas. “It’s a challenge, but I don’t see an alternative. Cost-wise, what we do is more expensive, as our internal costs are higher, but we don’t really pass on the costs to customers, so our margins aren’t quite as big.”
Sullivan says the company isn’t going green merely to separate themselves from the pack – quite the opposite, in fact.
“Until others are forced to make these changes, they’re not going to make them,” he says. “We see ourselves as educating the consumer. That will help drive change. If more shops would get on board with this, the better it will be for everyone.”
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