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Designed by Philip DeKoker
Idling is harmful to our environment and the pollution triggers asthma attacks. What are some great reasons NOT to idle?
It reduces air pollution.
An idling car produces air pollution, even though the car is not going anywhere. Ten minutes of idling per day adds more than 50 pounds of carbon monoxide, particles, nitrogen oxides and other toxic gases to the air per year. If you idle more than 30 seconds, your car will emit more air pollution than if you turn it off and on again.
You help people who have asthma or other respiratory diseases.
Air pollution can bring on an asthma attack and make breathing hard for people whose respiratory systems are sensitive.
You set a good example.
By conserving fuel and protecting the environment, you set a great example for your children and you help spread the word to other adults.
It’s easy to do.
Just follow the “30 second Rule.” Don’t idle more than 30 seconds to warm up your car. And turn your engine off if idling more than 30 seconds except in traffic. Following this rule helps the environment and your car.
You save money by saving gas.
Ten minutes of idling per day can use as much as $180.00 worth of gas per year. Wasted gasoline adds up to lots of wasted dollars – and it doesn’t even get you anywhere!
You avoid waste.
Nobody likes waste. Unnecessary idling is wasteful because your car is burning gasoline but not taking you anywhere. Since oil is not a renewable resource, we should use it wisely and not waste it.
It’s better for your engine.
Cars are not designed to run for extended periods of time at idle. Idling causes unnecessary wear and tear on your engine and actually results in deposits of fuel residues on your engines cylinder walls that can contaminate oil and damage components.
It won’t hurt your starter.
Your vehicle’s starter is designed to turn the car off and on thousands of times without causing any damage to the starter or any of the engine components.
You prevent theft.
According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, as many as 25 percent of stolen cars were left with the keys in the ignition and the motor running!
Want to learn more about going Idle-Free? Visit our Idle-Free School Zones page.
Smart Schools Don't Idle
The Idle-Free School Zones program began as a pilot at elementary schools in Marion County, implemented by Improving Kids’ Environment (IKE) and the City of Indianapolis Knozone program, through a grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Today, the “Smart Schools Don’t Idle” program is offered statewide and is completely free to participating schools.
An increasingly common cause of children missing school is asthma and air pollution is one of the common asthma triggers. Studies have linked high pollution levels at schools to increased absence and lower academic performance. Even with the high price of gasoline, many people do not understand that idling vehicles can create air pollution “hot spots” that can bring on an asthma attack and make even healthy children and adults feel poorly (headaches, itchy eyes, sore throats). On school grounds, idling vehicles include school buses, parents waiting to pick up or drop off children from school or other activities, and delivery vehicles. Often, the pickup/dropoff areas are located near fresh air intakes, so the vehicle exhaust is drawn right into classroom areas. Improving air quality in and around the school buildings will make students and teachers feel better and will help reduce one of the key triggers of asthma.
School buses are often left idling, meaning their engines are running while they are parked. Many school districts and communities are working to reduce school bus idling in order to reduce fuel use and reduce emissions. Click here to check out our School Bus Idling Facts and the School Bus Idle Reduction Policy adopted by the School Transportation Association of Indiana. As part of the program, IKE provides:
Schools can show their commitment to improving the health of their school environment by joining the program and pledging to take a variety of steps to educate and improve air quality on school grounds. Check out the Smart Schools Don't Idle Commitment. (Thanks to Duke Energy for funding the Smart Schools Don't Idle signs.)
Want to learn more about why going Idle-Free is good for you? Visit our Great Reasons to go Idle-Free page!
The information on this page is furnished by InJAC partner Improving Kids Environment (www.ikecoalition.org). For more information about Smart Schools Don’t Idle, please contact IKE at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . The video is courtesy of the Children's Clean Air Network (www.childrencan.ca).
The first InJAC Quartely Meeting of 2012 was Monday, March 19. InJAC members have spent much of the year helping the Indiana State Department of Health writing the Indiana State Asthma Plan and members spent a good deal of time discussing that plan and InJAC's goals for the rest of the year.
If you missed the meeting, you can catch up by watching the recorded session below!
Indiana Joint Public Health Week Conference
InJAC is playing a role in the upcoming 2012 Indiana Joint National Public Health Week Conference, “A Healthier America Begins Today: Join the Movement" to be held on April 3-4 at the IUPUI Campus Center. The following organizations have come together to offer you a variety of sessions, events, and other great activities.
We will discuss ways in which Americans can take preventive measures to live longer and healthier lives. Preventing disease before it begins is critical to reaching this goal, as well as to lowering the cost of health care. If we take small actions, our communities, homes and families will see the large benefits of preventive care and grow the movement. The conference will focus on:
Conference activities include:
The brochure is below....and registration is open! Visit www.publichealthconnect.org for more information and to register!
2012's Indiana Joint Public Health Week Conference program.
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