Boycotts, Water, and the CLEAN Campaign (Part 2)

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Boycotts and a CLEAN Car Wash Update
Sometimes you have to find alternative ways to stay physically fit. So if your time is scarce and you have a passion for workers' rights, there may be no better physical activity than the boycott. It's lots of walking while outdoors, it's uniting with laborers, and it's tons of yelling to support "our team." Go to a boycott. It may not take your breath away, but you'll probably feel sore the next day.

I last wrote about unity, water, and the CLEAN Car Wash Campaign in Los Angeles. This week I spoke with Chloe, a representative from the campaign. She updated me on CLEAN's environmental work, it's health and safety efforts, and their collaborative work with numerous organizations. Seems that the boycott is just one of their efforts against corrupt car washes in LA. One of their most recent environmental victories: they partnered with the Coalition for Clean Air to pass various regulations with the Air Quality Board.

Water Conservation: Car Washes CAN be better ...
In terms of water conservation, I thought it'd be a good idea to wash my car on my own instead of taking it to a car wash -- this way I'd get some sun, work the muscles a little bit, and support the CLEAN Car Wash campaign. But according to Chloe and CLEAN, more water is wasted when we wash our cars on our own than at a car wash. Since a lot of car washes in LA recycle the water they use in special tanks and because they use pressurized hoses that use less water, it's often better to have your car cleaned at a car wash.

Toxic Sludge, Storm Drains, and Worker Health
Even if you do decide to wash your car on your own, the water we use goes straight to the storm drain, along with all the crud, soap, and motor oil it gathers up along the way and heads directly to the ocean. This sludge is toxic and adds to LA's water pollution. I don't know about you, but I don't look forward to wading in car wash sludge this summer at the beach or having it pollute our drinking water.

But imagine if your job required that you handle this thick dirty, toxic sludge. Unfortunately, the car wash workers that CLEAN collaborates with have stated that some car wash owners have them clean the water storage tanks and dispose loads of this toxic waste illegally in trash bins or in storm drains. Tire cleaner, motor oil, dirt and grime, and paint thinner, which is often used to work out hard-to-remove stains, are just some of the contents of this horrible mixture. And guess what, the workers aren't provided with adequate protective gear while cleaning out the tanks or while disposing the loads of sludge that has accumulated over time.

What can you do?
The CLEAN Campaign has put out an industry-wide call in the LA area for car washes that want to join the campaign and abide by labor and environmental regulations. Not a single car wash in the LA area has joined, though. For a list of some of the worst violators in LA, click here.

If you'd like to support the CLEAN campaign, you can start by linking to their website for more information -- be informed! Next, if you're in the LA area, join them for one of their regular boycotts at the Vermont Hand Wash in Hollywood. Click here if you'd like to contact them or get more information on their regular meetings. Be active and selectively choose your car wash. According to CLEAN, some of the things you can look for while patronizing full-service car washes include:

• Are the workers inside the wash tunnel wearing protective gear such as gloves, aprons, and boots?
• Are the workers in the detailing area wearing gloves and face masks to protect them from the chemicals used to clean your tires?
• Ask the owner, the manager on duty, or some of the workers if the workers are getting paid at least the minimum wage for all the hours worked.
• Does the owner provide drinking water to all of the workers?
• Is there a shady area where the workers can take a break or have a meal away from the dirty water and chemicals?
• Are workers given adequate time and space for breaks and meals?
  

If the answer is NO, to any of the questions above, look for another wash. Tell the owner or the manager on duty to contact CLEAN and join the campaign. Finally, TIP THE WORKERS WELL. Many workers report they work long hours for tips only. In 2007, state and federal employment investigators found that many car wash workers in the LA area are paid below the minimum wage in violation of state employment laws.



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