"Drive Clean and Green" Campaign Coming to Portland-Area DEQ Stations

Still smarting over the Exxon-Valdez oil spill of 1989? Well, there's a new way to distance yourself from such oil catastrophes and feel better about how your driving is hurting the environment.

Starting this October, DEQ Vehicle Inspection Programs stations in Portland will offer customers free coupons for free vehicle inspections at participating Eco-biz auto shops. The "Drive Clean and Green" campaign is part of an effort to improve vehicle efficiency and clean the environment.

Drivers who successfully pass the visual checkup, which includes fluids leaks, air filter and tire pressure checks, and visible smoke from the tailpipe, will receive a free car decal reading “I Drive Green and Clean” and a Car Care Guide for the glovebox.

“Researchers from NASA and the Smithsonian Institute have estimated that every three weeks, more oil is deposited on driveways and streets in the U.S. than the Exxon Valdez spilled in Alaska," said Sallie Schullinger-Krause, program director for the Oregon Environmental Council.