Create a Healthier Environment for Children by Reducing Vehicle Idling
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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – As summer comes to an end, cars and buses across the country are resuming the daily routine of transporting kids to and from school. And with numerous vehicles idling for long periods of time in drop-off and pick-up lines at schools, parents and bus drivers are unknowingly exposing school children to harmful emissions that could affect their health.
Recent studies have shown that children, in particular, are at an increased risk of serious health conditions from harmful vehicle emissions. According to The Clean Air Campaign, excessive vehicle idling exposes children to unhealthy amounts of exhaust filled with particle pollution. In addition, children breathe 50 percent more air per pound than adults and, because of their height, are often closer to tailpipes, making the risks for throat, respiratory and eye problems substantially greater.
The Earth Day Network and The Clean Air Campaign, with the help of a $350,000 grant from The UPS Foundation, have launched a national program to reduce harmful emissions at schools by minimizing vehicle idling. The “No-Idling Campaign” aims to reduce excessive vehicle emissions to promote healthy lung development in school students, protect the environment and save fuel. Schools all over the country have adopted the “No-Idling Campaign” and are working to educate their communities about the benefits of an “idle-free” zone.
Cutting Engines Equals Healthier Kids
Vehicle exhaust can be harmful to anyone’s health, but because children’s lungs develop throughout their school years, they are even more susceptible to these dangerous toxins.
Children suffering from asthma are most at risk from vehicle exhaust. According to the National School Boards Association, asthma accounts for more missed school days than any other chronic condition. Pollutants from car exhaust are known to cause asthma attacks and other respiratory problems. In fact, recent scientific research has found that vehicle exhaust affects kids with asthma even when the levels fall within current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines. Having asthma can affect a child’s overall health and is exacerbated by a smoggy school environment.
The easiest way to help curb harmful emissions is by turning off your engine when waiting in the drop-off or pick-up lines at school. By shutting your vehicle down, you can not only improve children’s health but also reduce your fuel consumption, lower carbon emissions and extend the life of your vehicle. A study by the EPA has shown that one hour of idling can burn a gallon of gasoline and release almost 20 pounds of carbon into the atmosphere.
Engine Idling Myths
Information about engine idling can be vague, and drivers are often unaware of how idling affects their vehicles and the health of those around them. Here are a few common myths about engine performance and corresponding facts from the California Energy Commission’s Consumer Energy Center:
Myth: Idling uses less gas then restarting your car because of the fuel consumed when firing the engine.
Fact: If you’re going to be idling for more than 30 seconds, it is more fuel efficient to turn your engine off. In fact, idling for 30 seconds or more uses more fuel than restarting your engine, and idling for 10 minutes a day wastes an average of 24.5 gallons of gas a year.
Myth: Cars need to be “warmed up” before driving to maximize efficiency and performance.
Fact: Driving, not idling, is the most effective way to warm up your vehicle, even in cold weather. With today’s modern engines, you need no more than 30 seconds of idling on winter days before driving away.
Myth: Idling is good for your engine.
Fact: Excessive idling can actually damage engine components, including cylinders, spark plugs, and exhaust systems. Idling can lead to the build-up of fuel residues on cylinder walls that can damage engine components and increase fuel consumption.
Vehicle Idling Awareness
Educating the public about the health and environmental risks of vehicle idling will increase awareness and accountability for generations to come. The “No-Idling Campaign” provides toolkits on the Earth Day Network’s Web site (www.earthday.net) for schools to use in educating their communities about reduced-idling procedures. The campaign focuses on K-12 schools across the country, providing solutions for administrators and teachers and educational materials for bus drivers and parents.
We all have the opportunity to improve children’s health and help the environment by reducing our vehicle emissions. Some states are even implementing legislative efforts that ban vehicles from extended idling, including counties in Texas, California, New York and Illinois.
The solution is simple to remember – turn off your engine if you’re going to be sitting or parked in your vehicle for more than 30 seconds. You’ll improve the lives of those around you, help preserve the environment for future generations, and save some money along the way.
Mike Walker is Southeast Region Automotive Manager at UPS, the world’s largest package delivery company and a leading supply chain services provider.
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