By Robin Shreeves •
February 18, 2009
A recently passed New York City law cuts down the acceptable limit of vehicle idling time in school zones from 3 minutes to 1 minute. According to an AP report, the law also gives additional city agencies the ability to issue violations and creates a way for officials to track those violations.
Idling in school zones is not a city problem, only. Take a look at any suburban grammar school, like the one my sons attend, and you’ll see an after school mess of idling cars and school buses. What does this say about our culture?
- We aren’t concerned about the waste of our natural resources?
- We’ve got money to burn in our gas tanks?
- We don’t care about the pollution we’re creating, even when it’s harming our children?
- We’re too darn lazy to turn our car engines off?
Yep, all of the above.
By Tina Casey •
January 11, 2009
Children and cars both tend to idle around schools, and that is a noxious mix. Car exhaust, including exhaust from idling engines, is closely related to childhood asthma.
Hybrid cars and all-electric vehicles are the solution of the future, but right now they are beyond reach for many of us. Let’s read on to check out some no-cost and low-cost ways you can help reduce the impact of idling on children’s health.
Today’s post is by Mel Peffers, a project manager in the Living Cities program at Environmental Defense Fund.
May 6 was World Asthma Day. Since car exhaust can lead to asthma as well as global warming, we thought it would be a good day to highlight the importance of not idling your car or truck engine.
What makes idling especially bad for health is that drivers tend to idle in gathering places - by sidewalks, schools, playgrounds, homes, and offices. Breathing in pollution close to the source is more dangerous than farther away.
Take a look at the evidence.
By Gavin Hudson •
April 19, 2008
Myth: It takes more gas to turn your car off and on again than to let it idle.
Fact: Idling for more than 10 seconds damages the engine, emits more air pollution, and of course costs more money in the long run than turning the car off and back on again. This is true for all cars built since the 1970s with a catalytic converter.
And yet…
[...]
A recently passed New York City law cuts down the acceptable limit of vehicle idling time in school zones from 3 minutes to 1 minute. According to an AP report, the law also gives additional city agencies the ability to issue violations and creates a way for officials to track those violations.
