Jay Leno has gone green. Who? – the sultan collector of rare and expensive automobiles in an expansive 17,000 sq. foot “Big Dog Garage” in Burbank, CA? During the last year the bimonthly column that Jay writes for Popular Mechanics has become a journal of sorts documenting some of his strides in making his massive garage more green. In a recent article in the Autos section of the LA Times Jay told the reporter about the 54-kilowatt solar power system that he installed atop his garage last month that on some days can power his air conditioning, overhead lights, power tools and still return some power to the city. (image below)

Apparently the 57-year old TV show host has been going over his garage looking for ways to make it more eco-friendly. Why, one might ask? – “My thing with the green situation is: Even if you don’t believe in global warming, don’t you want to screw the oil company or gas company or utility company?”

Among some of the changes Jay has incorporated energy-efficient heating and nontoxic cleaners. The article reads “Leno drives a different vehicle each day, but he tries to minimize the environmental impact. He lives only eight miles from work. He recycles. And, in addition to the solar panels and a wind turbine on his roof, he’s implemented a number of other systems inside his garage that are designed to reduce toxic waste. His parts cleaners are eco-friendly — one uses microbes to eat away grease and grime, the other employs ultrasonic cleaning bubbles. Instead of a gas-operated plasma cutter to saw parts out of sheet metal, a water jet does the job using sand. And refillable canisters of brake and carburetor cleaners take the place of throwaway aerosol cans.”

Watch a video tour of Jays’ garage and his green innovations

Images of Jay’s wind turbines, microbial cleaner and Bagleys best Cleaner