California, among other states, is facing extreme drought issues, along with global warming and a looming shortage of clean drinking water — so why would one let gallons of water and harmful chemicals pour into storm water drains for one car wash if it’s unnecessary?

Clayton’s Brian Stranko has a solution. The owner of the franchise No-H2O Walnut Creek, he’s looking to make an environmental impact, one car wash at a time. In January, he bought the franchise that uses a waterless, environmentally safe cleaning product to clean cars instead of detergent and water. His team sprays biodegradable liquids on vehicles using simple spray bottles and wipes off the vehicles to clean them by hand.

“I am a big believer in conservation solutions that enable actors to do good while doing well,” said Stranko, who lives with his wife Michele and their three daughters ages 18, 16 and 10.

A water conservation professional for more than 20 years, Stranko was most recently the California water program director for The Nature Conservancy, a global environmental organization based in Arlington, Virginia.

“I was convinced to get involved after running the numbers on how much water could be saved in California, if we were able to convert all consumer car washes in the state to waterless,” he said. “At an average savings of 35 gallons per wash and taking both the number of consumer cars in California and the average number of washes per year, per car, you end up with enough water savings to provide for the nearly one million people in the state who go without safe drinking water annually.”

The waterless car wash idea is relatively new to the United States.

“No-H2O was founded in Ireland in 2007 by a former Formula 1 race car driver Emmet O’Brien and his father Eoin,” said Stranko. “They observed a gap in the car care industry, namely the need for an eco-friendly and more convenient product and service. They therefore created a waterless biodegradable set of products and a service that is both mobile and on-demand. No-H2O goes to the consumer instead of the consumer going to the car wash.”

His mobile company does not have a brick-and-mortar location and instead travels to its customers.

“We don’t need a lot of equipment or supplies as a waterless car wash entity, so we are able to fit everything we need in small vans, even cars,” he said.

They clean cars at people’s homes, places of business or other convenient locations.

“We also service business clients, such as luxury apartments, country clubs, golf courses fitness centers, shopping malls etc. that invite us to their locations to provide our service to their patrons,” Stranko added.

His company offers five different packages; from exterior-only to robust detailing of a car’s interior and exterior, with the typical exterior-only wash taking about 35 minutes. Comprehensive interior and exterior washes take a bit more than an hour, and detailing service can take longer. Stranko explains what their cost-to-value includes.

“Our services are really about detailing more so than washing,” Stranko said. “The difference is in the level of quality and attention to detail conducted. Because our service is mobile, on-demand and conducted by actual people who take pains to get the details right and because even our basic service results in a polish in addition to a wash, our service is higher priced.”

His business is also a family affair.

“The two oldest daughters are detailers in the business, and we’re awaiting the youngest to get a bit older before she jumps on board!” said Stranko.

Stranko, 51, was born in Tacoma, Washington, and primarily raised in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, as the son of a U.S. Army soldier. With a communications degree from Syracuse University, an MBA from Georgetown University and an environmental policy certificate from the University of Maryland, he sees this business as a win-win.

“By demonstrating we can earn a profit while saving water with the waterless car wash solution, we can attract more entrepreneurs to the sector, and that will help proliferate waterless car washing and overall water savings,” he said.

Stranko is looking at the bigger picture.

“For me, that’s the crux of the matter — proliferating a solution beyond my own company that can lead to full conversion of car washes to waterless,” he said. “We also plan to help spawn a movement — a proliferation of waterless washing that becomes the norm and not necessarily with us as the provider.”

As a member of the Concord, Lafayette, Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek chambers of commerce and the Clayton Business and Community Association (CBCA), Stranko’s company gives back to the communities it serves beyond the waterless car washing.

“We regularly conduct fundraisers with groups such as police and fire, The Fallen Heroes, Alzheimer’s Association and Mount Diablo Education Foundation,” he said. “We also volunteer at community events such as local festivals and fund drives.”

Stranko hopes others will be inspired to do their part, now more than ever.

“I’m of the belief that it is time we all contribute to conserving our water,” said Stranko. “That said, those of us who are creating solutions that others can take part in need to make it easy and value-add to people. Otherwise adoption of water-saving practices may never take hold.”

For more information about No-H2O, visit noh2o.com.

Charleen Earley is a freelance writer and journalism professor at Foothill and Diablo Valley colleges. Reach her at charleenbearley@gmail.com or 925-383-3072.