Green Options » idling

Idling: Why Do We Do It?

Robin Shreeves — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:31:14 +0000

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.

Asthma and Cars: No Idling at School

Tina Casey — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 19:56:21 +0000

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.

Environmental Defense Fund: Asthma and Idling - A Bad Combination

edfblog — Wed, 07 May 2008 20:44:47 +0000

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.

How to Save Gas in 10 Seconds… Or Go To Jail

Gavin Hudson — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 17:25:06 +0000

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…

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Idling in the developing world

Oddly enough, in the “developing” world, idling your car is not only accepted, it’s a national pastime.

Here in South Korea, a country where oil is at a premium for lack of any domestic reserves, the belief seems to be, “an idle car is a happy car.” Men, especially, have a love affair with the idle car. Perhaps it says, “Hey, ladies… I have money to burn.” Perhaps it’s just a lack of knowledge about car maintenance and air pollution; perhaps it’s a lack of concern.

The problem of idling is even more severe in countries where oil is not at a premium. On my last visit to Venezuela, I spoke with a man named Pedro, who drives charter mini-buses for a living. I asked him why he idles his mini-buses for hours instead of turning off the engine. He smiled proudly. Why shouldn’t he idle his mini-buses? After all, in Venezuela, petrol is cheaper than water.

So here again, idling is a sign of wealth. It’s a case of “waste to show you want not.”

Legal penalties for idling

You may not know it, but your city, county, state, or province may be one of the many with a fine for idling a car.

In the county of Denver, Colorado, idling a car for 10 minutes could land you a fine of no less than $999 and/or imprisonment for one year. A similar penalty of one grand and a year in the slammer applies to anyone in the county of St. Louis, Missouri for idling a car for just 3 minutes. See a list of idling laws in the United States here.

In Canada, of course, fines are less draconian. Idle a car for 3 minutes in Surrey, a city within the Metro Vancouver area in British Columbia, and you’ll get “dinged” $50.

Were these laws news to you? That’s because there’s clearly a disconnect between the laws and their enforcement. Start arresting St. Louis residents for idling and you’ll have a lot of ticked off Missourians. And who really wants a lot of ticked off Missourians?

The answer, as always, is better education about the true costs of idling.

Resources:

Green automotive reading: Gas 2.0

Idling Myths and Facts | Lowering Emissions and Particulates

Turn Off Your Engine! | Environmental Defense Fund

2008 Idle Laws by State | Scribd