Fr. Frank McGauran presenting Kingsland N.S. with their Second Green Flag for Energy

 

 

 

       No Idling Toolkit for Schools    

What is Engine Idling ?

Engine idling is any time your car engine is running but your not moving, usally for more than 10-20 seconds. e.g waiting outside the school, at the red light, roadworks etc.

Why should we stop engine idling ?

Running a car without going anywhere just doesn't make any sense!

Here are four reasons why :

Environment: When an engine is running, it emits carbon dioxide(CO2), the main greenhouse gas responsible for climate change. By switching off your engine when stopped, you stop these emissions too!

Health: Idling makes for worse air quality, which is bad for human health. Young people are at greater rish of the health impacts of air pollution because their lungs are still developing.

Money: Idling wastes fuel that you're paying for - that just burns a hole in your pocket!

Safety: When cars and buses are Idling outside a school, it is harder for students to hear cars that are actually moving, which might be hidden behind the idling cars.

 

 

While electric cars don’t idle,

and many modern cars have stop-start technology             

(a feature that switches off the engine when the car isn’t moving),

there are still many vehicles

that are guilty of needless idling outside our school.

 

 

You might have seen a lot of idling at your own school:

buses idle when loading passengers,

parents idle when waiting for their children,

and your friends may idle to“warm up” their engine!

 

 

Facts and Myths on Idling 

Myth - Emissions from idling and driving are the same                   

Fact -   Idling creates worse emissions than driving. When a car is driving the engine heats up faster and the catalytic converter becomes more efficient at reducing emissions.

Myth - Start a vehile uses more fuel than letting the vehicle idle.

Fact - More than 10 seconds of idling uses more fuel than restarting the engine, thanks to fuel -injections systems

Myth - Frequent restarting of the engine is hard on vehicles engine and battery.

Fact - Increased restarting of a vehicle's engine does only minimal damage to the engine, while only very slightly draining the battery. Idling can also reduce the operating life of engine oil by 75%

Myth - Idling doesn't cause much harm.

Fact - Idling vehicles emit higher levels of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and hydrocarbons. These Pollutants contribute to global warming and worsen air quailty.

Myth - if its cold outside i need to keep the engine running for it to stay warm

Fact - Your engine will stay warm for 30 -60 minutes after switching the engine off.