I really love working on cars. It is a soothing, relaxing exercise for me, as it allows me to blank out my mind and focus on the issue at hand. I have a very hard time focusing, even on cars. But when I can focus, it is a beautiful thing.

The only other thing I can focus on is the environment. I love trees. I love being outside, sun or rain, hot or cold. Nothing can beat nature in my mind.

Unfortunately, cars and nature are not exactly conducive to each other. And I know at the end of the day, nature is on the receiving end of abuse.

For example, I change my own oil. And as I have a rather large fleet of cars, a lot of oil goes through my yard. 85% of it gets captured and recycled (eventually) through a collection of quickly-contrived containers. But even so, six quarts of spilled used motor oil can contaminate a million gallons of drinking water. A million freakin’ gallons. Now just what level of contamination we are talking about, I don’t know, but I do know I don’t want to drink oil.

This is a problem car owners across the country face. I love changing my oil, but it is a messy process. It is also cheaper than taking it to a “lubrication professional” like 70% of the country now does. Why should I pay some punk kid $25 to remove a bolt, drain some oil, and put new oil in, just because it is cleaner? In fact, if I was President, I would make it a law that every car owner must change their own oil, air filter, and pressure test their tires on a weekly basis. That would go along with a stricter driving training program and mandatory military service.

I’d also change the title of President to Dictator for Life.

But back to the oil…I think this country needs a carrot on a stick to really kick recycling into top gear. Disposing of oil is messy and a bit of a pain in the ass. Make it easier and lucrative. It all gets reused anyway, and somebody, somewhere is making a profit off it somewhere. Pass a few bucks to the guy who gets all greasy while you’re at it.

I do feel bad, but I don’t want to stop, and I certainly don’t want to spend more money to be “green”. That seems to be the great conundrum though facing consumers across the country.

We all want to help the world, so long as it doesn’t hurt us in the process. But sometimes, no matter what, you’re gonna get bruised.