Idle Off

Ok, majority of USA. We’re coming off of our climate change induced cold snap, and temps are going to finally be above freezing this week. (Yay!)

One way that you can make a difference for our planet in these times when it’s not super cold or super hot is to reduce the amount of time that you let your vehicle idle.

Letting our cars run for longer than 10 seconds (that’s right - 10 seconds) wastes gasoline and emits more carbon dioxide into the air than turning it off and on. So, turning the ignition off during this time reduces the amount of fossil fuel you are burning, saves you money and decreases pollutants that warm our planet.

Think about times that you can survive comfortably in your car without keeping it running

• School drop-off/pick-up

• Waiting at a train,

• “Warming up” the car (it’s better for the engine to let it warm up on the road)

• Waiting for your kids to come out of the house

You get the idea!

Many vehicles already have an “eco” mode that has them momentarily shut off automatically. But if yours doesn’t, consider making this conscious decision yourself!

You can breathe easier knowing you’ve done your part for the planet.