DALLAS — In an effort to get the word out about the importance of regular vehicle maintenance and how the fast lube industry is doing its part to help the environment, the Automotive Oil Change Association (AOCA) is putting together three campaigns for their members.

The first campaign, launching during the summer, focuses on the increasing gas prices and how practicing better driving habits and having regular car maintenance performed can improve your gas mileage.

In these tough economic times when gas has hit $4 a gallon in parts of the U.S., many consumers are delaying automotive maintenance to stretch their automotive budget.

"We feel that it’s important to provide our members with the resources to educate the consumer about how preventive maintenance can actually improve their gas mileage," said Steve Christie, executive director of the Automotive Oil Change Association. "It’s a win-win situation — the consumers improve their gas mileage, and our members see their customers more often."

The second campaign will be launched in the fall and will focus on the difference between a severe and normal driver and the difference this may cause in your oil change interval. It will also highlight the importance of changing your oil according to your auto manufacturer’s recommendation in your owner’s manual.

The third campaign focuses on protecting our ground water and that if you have your oil changed at a fast lube center, the used oil from your car and other spent fluids will be properly stored and recycled. This campaign will launch in March to coincide with National Ground Water Awareness Week.

Each campaign will consist of a press release, email blast, a print ad and Internet banner ads made available in two standard sizes. These marketing materials will be made available to AOCA members and distributed through various media outlets in order to help them educate the public about these important issues.