Waterless Car Wash College Thesis

Topic: Waterless Carwash Products

General purpose: To persuade my audience.

Specific purpose: To persuade my audience to buy waterless carwash products from freedomwaterlesscarwash.com.

Thesis: Waterless carwash products are a realistic way to drastically reduce unnecessary water consumption.

Organizational pattern: Problem-Solution

Audience Analysis: On a scale from 1 to 5 with 1 being “not at all” and 5 being “very”, on average, the class rated the importance of conserving water a 3.9. This tells me that they think the issue of saving water is important, yet over half of the class doesn’t do anything to conserve. Of those who do make an effort, the most common answer is “short showers” which is helpful because every little bit counts, however there is more that can easily be done. Some of the class members don’t wash their cars enough to keep from damaging the paint and some even said they never wash their car. 100% of the class indicated that they had no idea waterless car wash products existed.

Introduction

1. Attention getting device: You’ve heard of dry ice, jumbo shrimp, and the sunless tan. Now the waterless carwash makes its way onto the list of oxymorons.
2. Relevance to topic to audience: Almost every single one of you owns a car which makes car washing necessary in order to maintain and keep the vehicle looking its best. Traditional carwash methods can now be easily substituted with waterless technology that will allow for countless gallons of water to be saved. It is our responsibility to conserve water now so that our children are able to have the same quality of fresh water we have today.
3. Establish credibility: A personal friend of mine started a waterless carwash company in Atlanta, Georgia, where drought has caused mandatory water restrictions in some areas, in April of 2008. Since then, his company, Enviro Auto Care, has gained much success; including securing a sponsorship with Nike. His company has saved 226,112 gallons of water since April 12^th of last year.
4. Thesis: Waterless carwash products are a realistic way to drastically reduce unnecessary water consumption.
5. Preview: First, I’ll talk about the problem of water scarcity. Next, I’ll identify the causes of water shortages. Finally, I will explain why waterless products are an effective solution to this problem.

[Transition: First, I want to inform you that water scarcity is relevant to us, even if we may not think about it.]

Body

1. Water scarcity is a real issue that needs to be addressed.
   1. It may not seem very prominent because water covers approximately 71% of the Earth’s surface. However, 97% of that water is made up of salt water which is unsuitable for consumption. Of the 3% of fresh water on Earth, about 2% is locked up in glaciers and polar ice caps, which leave leaves around 1% of usable fresh water. Water is a finite resource; meaning that what we have now is all we will ever have and we can’t make more.
   2. Previously, water scarcity was thought to be restricted to poor countries. However, the published article entitled “Water Crisis Hitting World’s Richest Nations” says otherwise. Jamie Pittock, director of the Global Freshwater Program, says “Economic riches don’t translate to plentiful water.” The issue of water scarcity is more relevant to the U.S. than people may think.
   3. An article published in the Pollution Engineering publication commentates on the United Nation’s World Water Development Report which is 600 pages, has spent over two years in the making, and is based on input from 23 U.N. agencies. This report examines the issue of water scarcity and the “threat of looming water wars between countries.” The U.N. estimates that about “7 billion people in 60 countries could face water scarcity by 2050.”  If nothing is changed about the way we use water today, our children will be the ones who suffer the consequences of our carelessness.

[Transition: Now that we can see that water scarcity is a real issue, I’ll identify some of the causes of this problem.]

1. Water shortages are due to different factors, some of which can be avoided if we are willing to take action.
   1. Uncontrollable factors
      1. i.      As Earth’s population increases, demand of water increases which may cause a scarcity of clean, fresh water. According to the article, “Water Availability, Watershed Management, and the Impending Global Water Crisis” published in the Agricultural Research journal in January of 2009, the U.S. population is now at 304 million and the world’s population is at 6.7 billion, which means a water crisis may be closer than people think.
      2. ii.      Drought is also a factor contributing to water scarcity. According to the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, drought conditions have been affecting close to 48% of the United States since April 2008.
      3. Pollution of water
         1. i.      There are many different causes of pollution; however I’ll focus on pollution as it relates to car washing. An article on carwash wastewater, which was published in the Water Science & Technology journal, states that car wash waste water contains a variety of particles such as salt and sand, oil substances, and surfactants. Technology that enables these impurities to be separated from the water include “coagulation or filtration and biological and electrical treatments.” However, the article states that, “most of these systems are not satisfactory for the quality of reuse water […] because of the difficulty in perfect removal of both particles and oil-water emulsion.”
         2. ii.      Some car washes have water treatment systems but many do not. Washing a vehicle in a home driveway also poses a problem because untreated water gets released directly into storm drains.
      4. The previously mention article “Water Crisis Hitting World’s Richest Nations” mentions the United States as being a country where overuse is a problem.
         1. i.      According to “Trends in Modern Car Washing” an article published in the Polish Journal of Environmental Studies, an automatic bay wash uses about 30 gallons of water. A full service automatic car wash can use about 62 gallons and washing a vehicle in a home drive way uses about 116 gallons of water.

[Transition: Water scarcity is an issue that can affect many people, but every individual can make a difference.]

1. Waterless carwash products will be able to effectively clean cars while cutting down water pollution and over usage.
   1. First, I would like to mention that I noticed many of you do not wash your cars enough. Some of you even said you never wash your car! This is a problem because neglecting to wash a vehicle can cause damage to its paint. According to autogeek.net’s guide to properly washing a car, not washing a car regularly can lead to corrosion and discoloration of the car’s paint. Things like bug splatter and bird droppings contain complex proteins that create organic acids that can break down and penetrate the outer clear coat of paint. Brake dust is also a major component that leads to paint damage. This dust includes metal shavings from the rotors and adhesives that are used in brake pads. Brake dust is nearly invisible, yet highly corrosive and very sticky which can make it difficult to get off if it has been left sitting for a long period of time. Other corrosive materials include salt and sand which are common during winter months. Months with high humidity can also cause problems because moisture attracts harmful contaminants so it is important to keep your car clean all year round.
   2. When talking to JC, the owner of the waterless carwash in Atlanta, he informed me that he uses a company called Freedom International that runs a website where anyone can buy these waterless products. This page can be found at freedomwaterlesscarwash.com where they feature a number of environmentally friendly car wash products. JC said he chose to do business with this company in particular because it is expected to get EPA approval sometime this month; which will be a first for this industry.
      1. i.      According to the Freedom International’s website, this waterless technology is an effective way to clean without scratching the car’s paint. When cars are sprayed with water, visible dirt is removed, however a thin layer of particles can be left behind and rubbed into the paint causing feather scratches. The waterless products actually remove the chance of scratching because of the compounds included in the spray. The product contains a mixture of different detergents and wetting agents which are able to break down and emulsify the particles, which are then absorbed by a microfiber towel to ensure that the paint won’t scratch. At the same time a blend of lubricants attach a layer of protectant to the surface which prevents the remaining material not broken down by the detergents from scratching the paint.
      2. ii.      The application is simple which involves spraying the car and a microfiber towel with the waterless product, using the towel to lift the dirt, and finally a second towel is used to wipe off the remaining product while buffing the surface.
      3. iii.      One 32oz bottle of Freedom ONE costs $19.99. One bottle is enough for about 6 or 7 carwashes, depending on the size of the vehicle, which equals about 3 dollars per wash. Professional carwash costs can range greatly. On average they can cost from about 16 to 20 dollars, depending. If you wash your car at home, your water bill can be raised quite substantially. Either way, using waterless products are cost effective.
      4. iv.      Using these waterless carwash products ensure that no massive amounts of water are wasted, there is no contaminating water run-off, and they are water-based and contain natural ingredients which means they are non-hazardous to the environment.

[Transition: Waterless car wash products are a realistic solution to the problem of water shortages.]

Conclusion

1. I. Re-state purpose & review main points: The issue of water shortages is a relevant problem that needs to be addressed now. Using waterless products are a way cut down on the causes of water shortages which include pollution and over usage. These products ensure an effective cleaning without scratches while saving you money.
2. II. Close with impact: So next time you notice that your car needs a good cleaning; I encourage you to break away from the traditional car wash method and try Freedom International’s waterless products which will benefit you, the environment, and future generations.

Works Cited

Janik, H., & Kupiec, A. (2007, November). Trends in Modern Car Washing. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies, 16(6), 927-931. Retrieved April 2, 2009, from Environment Index database.

Walbridge, M. (2009, January). Water Availability, Watershed Management, and the Impending Global Water Crisis. Agricultural Research, 57(1), 2-2. Retrieved April 2, 2009, from Environment Index database.

Knutson, C. (2008, September). The role of water conservation in drought planning. Journal of Soil & Water Conservation, 63(5), 154A-160A. Retrieved April 2, 2009, from Environment Index database.

Li, T., Xue-jun, T., Fu-yi, C., Qi, Z., & Jun, Y. (2007, December 15). Reuse of carwash wastewater with hollow fiber membrane aided by enhanced coagulation and activated carbon treatments. Water Science & Technology, 56(12), 111-118. Retrieved April 2, 2009, from Environment Index database.

McKee, B. (2007). Proper Car Washing & Drying Techniques. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from Autogeek. Website: http://www.autogeek.net/exterior.html

Water crisis hitting world’s richest nations. (2006, November). Geographical, Retrieved April 2, 2009, from Environment Index database.

U.N. report warns of worsening world water crisis. (2003, May). Pollution Engineering, Retrieved April 2, 2009, from Environment Index database.

Van Liere, J. (Email communication, March 25, 2009).

Elliott, D. (2009). Products. Retrieved April 2, 2009, from Freedom International. Web site: http://www.freedomwaterlesscarwash.com/index.html

Freedom Waterless Car Wash Demonstration. Retrieved April 7, 2009, from YouTube Web site:

http://www.youtube.com/user/freedomwaterless