Commercial Parking Lots May Be An Alarming Source of Pollution

It’s Time For Pollution Generating Parking Lots To Become More Ecologically Friendly – Universal Site Services MILPITAS, CA — (Marketwire – July 23, 2012) Parking lots are not generally regarded as ecologically friendly or even neutral because they seldom are. MIT professor Eran Ben-Joseph’s new book, Rethinking a Lot, published in April 2012, points out that parking lots are not only eyesores, but are hazardous to the environment as well. Parking areas devour land in this country with estimates in the range of three to eight non-residential parking spots per car – that’s a landmass of about the size of Connecticut and Vermont combined. Parking lots contaminate surface water with oil, gas, antifreeze, and other toxic waste, which is then swept away by rainwater into drains, public water supplies, streams, and rivers. Garbage littered lots attract rodents and are breeding grounds for bacteria. Dust and small particles are picked up by the wind and pollute the air as well as the water. “We are well aware that environmentalists and parking lot owners and property managers are concerned about the contamination of water and air that’s spread by a single parking lot, never mind the many within a community,” said Gina Vella, President, Universal Site Services. “We offer parking lot cleaning services that keep lots well maintained and clean, and we use equipment designed to lessen the amount of dust and particle matter exhausted into the atmosphere, as well.” As the population increases and the number of vehicles needing parking space increases, society has to rethink the impact of parking lots on the environment, and how to design, construct, and maintain them to be more attractive and less hazardous to the health of its citizens. “Property managers are starting to look to porous paving that allow water to penetrate through the permeable materials into the ground below. We are also seeing property managers interested in adding vegetation buffers not only to make parking lots more appealing to the eye but also to absorb water runoff,” Ms. Vella stated. “Our equipment cleans every variety of paving surface and we include landscaping services for clients who want to add plants, trees, shrubs, or seeded ditches – known as ‘rain gardens’ – to catch and absorb rainwater.” With the right equipment and operation, a parking lot can be cleaner, greener, and more environmentally acceptable.

About Universal Site Services

Universal Site Services is a full service property maintenance and site services company serving clients in California, Arizona and Nevada. Founded in 1958, Universal is one of the largest family-owned, full-service outdoor maintenance companies on the West Coast. Universal was one of the inventors of the regenerative air parking lot sweeper. Services include parking lot sweeping, pressure washing, day porter, landscaping, property maintenance and graffiti removal. For more information about Universal, please visit uss-stage.mystagingwebsite.com 800-647-9337 Media Contact: Doug Hay Doug Hay & Associates 877-226-3823 doug@doughayassoc.com