A MAJOR thank you to Mike’s Automotive in Union Square – get a GREEN oil change this week to support GWS!

Mike’s Auto Brings the Green Oil Change Revolution to Somerville

Oct 18 11:24 am

Mike’s Automotive in Union Square

Today’s post comes from SLF member Mark Pedersen of Mike’s Automotive Services in Union Square. Mark works alongside his father, Mike Sr., and brother, Mark Jr., at this family run Somerville autoshop that’s committed to protecting the environment and building a more sustainable community. Learn more about their new green oil change service and how it benefits Groundwork Somerville:

Today marks a seminal moment in the movement for sustainability here in Somerville. Like many years ago, a revolution is taking place in Union Square at the foot of Prospect Hill. This time, the rebel color is green. At Mike’s Automotive Services we’re  issuing a sustainability call to arms by being the only auto shop to offer a green oil change in the Boston area.

What is a green oil change? A green oil change is one that uses re-refined motor oil. Mike’s green oil change uses EcoPower – a premium API-certified re-refined motor oil. What’s that mean? It means that EcoPower oil meets all of the same manufacturer specifications as any other conventional motor oil you’ve ever used.

A green oil change has tremendous benefits for the environment:

• It results in 99.5% fewer heavy metal emissions and 85% less greenhouse gases than if used motor oil were used for fuel.
• It saves more than one million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, which is the equivalent of taking 200,000 cars off the road every year
• It takes 85% less energy to produce than motor oil made from crude oil.

Those are just some of the benefits of choosing a green oil change (along with that great feeling you get when you choose sustainability). The State and Federal governments have been required by law to use re-refined oil since the mid-1990s. Now, the rest of us can use it too!

A lot of people talk about the fact that re-refined oil is much more expensive than conventional oil – and it is. But Mike’s is committed to sustainability. So we’re offering our green oil change for only $4.00 more than our conventional oil change.

For us, this is about leadership. If we are ever going to truly build a more sustainable community, it is going to take local businesses to stand up and lead the way. That’s what we’re doing – we’re putting principles before profits.

As part of our commitment to sustainability, we’re celebrating our green oil change in a big way. This week (October 18-22), for every green oil change we provide, we will donate $5.00 to Groundwork Somerville. Request your green oil change online with our convenient Mike’s Automotive web appointment scheduler.

So, no more excuses – the green oil change is here! Let’s see you show your green stripes by getting the word out. Tell your friends. Tell your family. Tell your co-workers. And above all, when it’s time to change your oil – go green at Mike’s!