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Saturday, February 23, 2008

JUNK MAIL AND OIL CHANGES

Two summers ago, I drove across the country and back—the American road trip. After some 5,000 miles, I found myself in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and decided it would be prudent to get the oil changed in my Camry. So I stopped by the local Grease Monkey. I remember the oil change as unremarkable, except that it took them longer to complete than promised.

Today, nearly two years later, I received a coupon in the mail from Grease Monkey of North Dakota, addressed to my New Jersey place of residence. "$5 Off Full Service Oil Change," only valid at their Grand Forks location.


Hey, thanks, I'll swing by after work.

Sustainability Tie-In:


If you haven't heard, the common knowledge that you should change the oil in your car every 3,000 miles no longer applies to the modern vehicle. Depending on the model, manufacturers recommend 5,000, 7,000 or even 10,000 miles between oil changes. According to the California Integrated Waste Management Board, which did a study, three-quarters of Californian drivers change their motor oil more often than needed, generating millions of gallons of waste oil every year in California alone.

Check it:
http://www.3000milemyth.org/

I start fulltime at Howell on Tuesday, at which time my intention will be to post here faster and more furiously. See you then.

2 comments:

Mucklucks said...

It is mighty generous of our blogger to takes us along on his introductory meetings with the farm. I certainly share the question that popped into his mind, but I would probably have over-pestered the farmers with questions which our blogger's sensitivity forbade.
Timing is an odd old thing. As it happens I am just reading Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma", a rich and excellent investigation of the American food chain. I gently suggest it as an excellent read to all visitors who wander through this blog. Particularly relevant to the subject discussed here is, I think, the second of the book's three sections: The part dealing with "pastoral", or "grass" farming.
Anyway, hats off to our blogger for going to the source of his curiosity.
And, Oh, is he going to get his muscles honed!
Cheers,
Mucklucks

RMB said...

Fantastic news...I never seem to get my oil changed "on time". The next time the folks at super lube give me their patronizing looks as they replace the platic reminder sticker, I'll just let them know I'm saving the environment.

Now if we could figure out a way to make speeding good for the environment too...