Fairway Carwash, located at 9110 Fairway Drive near Roseville’s wetlands, is devoted to providing outstanding car care, while still maintaining environmental sustainability. As is company policy, the carwash goes to great lengths to ensure water quality and prevent chemicals from flowing into the surrounding environs by containing their run-off.

It is because of these environmentally sound practices that Fairway Carwash was noticed by the Sacramento Sustainable Business Program (SSBP), co-sponsored by SMUD, the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District, the Regional Water Authority, and the Water Forum (whose main objectives are to preserve the American River and provide clean, reliable water resources for the area), for taking steps to reduce its environmental impact. The SSBP also named Fairway Carwash a certified green building. For more information on Fairway Carwash, call 916-772-9274 or visit them online at fairwaycarwash.com. 

PRESERVE & PROTECT

According to wastefreelunches.org, an organization committed to reducing trash in schools, it is estimated that, on average, a school-age child using a disposable lunch tosses 67 pounds of waste per school year.

Multiply those 67 pounds by the number of kids at an average-sized elementary school, and you get over 18,700 pounds of trash per school per year. That sure adds up! Preserve, a company  treading lightly on the earth, offers storage products made from 100 percent recyclable plastics, all made in the U.S. Their stylish Preserve Square Food Storage is just the right size to pack a sandwich in, comes with a snap-on lid, and is stackable and dishwasher safe, helping your family reduce the waste produced by packing lunches. Preserve products don’t just reduce waste, they reuse it! Their products are made from #5 polyproylene plastic collected to recycle through their “Gimme 5” program and through partner companies like Stoneyfield Farm. Buying a Preserve plastic product translates into 54% less water, 75% less oil, 48% less coal, 77% less natural gas, and 46% less electricity used compared to what is required to manufacture virgin polypropylene. Order online at preserveproducts.com or buy at Whole Foods, 1001 Galleria Boulevard, Roseville. . 

THE GRASS IS GREENER

If earning “Zoints” to “Zwaggle” sounds like child’s play, that’s because it is! Zwaggle is an online community of eco-minded parents looking to clear out the stuff their children have outgrown, who can’t stand the thought of dumping it in a landfill. It works like this: You join Zwaggle for free by creating an account online. You want to get rid of the stroller that’s collecting dust in the garage? Post it on the site! By doing so, you earn Zoints, or online points. Say the stroller earned you 100 Zoints and you find a gently used bike that strikes your fancy “priced” at 90. You simply “spend” your 90 Zoints, giving you 10 leftover for future swaps. Recommending Zwaggle to friends and family can also earn you Zoints. Simple. Fast. Ecological. Though it may be unlikely, if you don’t find anything on which you want to spend your Zoints, members can also make a wish list to notify you when your desired item becomes available.

Shipping is a breeze with Zwaggle’s FedEx tool that helps its members print prepaid, pre-addressed mailing labels and schedule pickup. And if the product is staying local, its messaging system allows users to schedule a meeting time and place – all without ever having to leave the Web site or head out to the mailbox. No cash trades hands so it is safer than other online want-ad sites. Because the Zwaggle system is based on points, rather than money, the overall value shared by its members is increasing community collaboration and decreasing community consumption.

Even if you have stuff to get rid of but no need to replace it, Zwagglers can donate their Zoints to charity to help less fortunate families and organizations. To learn more, visit zwaggle.com.