Idling
What is idling?
"Idling" means running your engine when your car isn't moving. You've probably idled your car when you were waiting for someone, at drive-through windows or to "warm up" your car. But more often than not, idling is not neccessary, and it can have negative affects on the environment — and your health.
Why shouldn't I idle?
Idling facts :
If you were to idle for a total of 30 minutes every weekday for one year, you could spend up to $200 on gas.
Restarting a V-6 engine uses about the same amount of fuel as idling for five seconds.
Vehicle emissions are a major contributor to air pollution.
Studies have linked various types of vehicle emissions to asthma symptoms, cardiopulmonary disease, lung cancer and other causes of death.
In warm weather, tailpipe emissions contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone, a pollutant that can cause eye, nose and throat irritation and, in higher concentrations, asthma, bronchitis, increased susceptibility to respiratory infections, and decreased lung function.
Children are even more vulnerable to air pollution than adults, so idling is more likely to negatively effect their health.
... But I need to warm up my car
Idling isn't an effective way to warm up your vehicle. The best way to warm up your car is to drive it. Your car needs no more than 30 seconds to fully circulate oil, even on freezing days. (Read Car Talk's opinion on warming up your engine.)
What can I do?
First of all, turn off your engine when you're not moving, and encourage your friends and family to do the same.
You can also promote an anti-idling policy at your child's school or at schools in your area. The AirQ Program will provide permanent "Idle-Free Zone" signs (at right) free of charge to any school in the Kansas City metro area (schools must provide the means to display the signs and labor for installation). Call 816/474-4240 or e-mail the AirQ Program to learn more.
You can also learn more about the Clean Buses | Healthy Kids program, which provides diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs) for free to schools across the region. DOCs greatly reduce a school bus' overall emissions, making the air our children breathe healthier.