It's Easy Being Green

Environmental efforts are gaining more attention these days, but they’re nothing new at Larry’s AutoWorks

By Kathy Sena
Photos by Joseph Puhy

Keeping the work — and world — environment safe and healthy is important to Larry Moore of Larry’s AutoWorks in Mountain View, Calif.

In fact, the ACDelco Total Service Support Service Center owner has been honored many times for his environmental efforts, including receiving the California Model Shop Award from the California EPA, Department of Toxic Substances Control, for his role in reducing pollution in the automotive repair industry.

The shop is one of only nine independently owned service centers in the state to receive the award. So it’s surprising to some to learn that an environmental champion like Moore became involved in green initiatives by accident.

From Fixing Bugs to Saving the Earth

Moore was working toward a marketing degree when he became a fixture at Mel’s Bug Shop in Mountain View more than 35 years ago.

“The owner hired me to work nights at the shop rebuilding engines after seeing how good I was with my Volkswagen Bug,” says Moore, who bought the shop in 1972, renaming it Larry’s Bug Shop. He’s since changed the name and moved twice to larger quarters before settling into his current 13,500-sq.-ft. Mountain View location.

“I was frustrated with the confusing array of environmental and other regulatory requirements when I started out as a new shop owner back in the early ’70s,” Moore says. “Different agencies had different requirements for auto shops, and they often contradicted each other.”

Looking to improve the situation, Moore invited local reps from each regulatory agency to speak with shop owners and compare notes. He also began writing environmentally sound shop management practices. Moore eventually became so involved with the process that in 1999, then-Gov. Gray Davis appointed him to the Source Reduction Advisory Committee for the State of California Department of Toxic Substances Control.