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Reducing idling is a great way to save money, gas and emissions.
First, idling wastes gas. Leaving your engine running consumes gasoline. As a matter of fact, allowing your car to idle for two minutes is equivalent to driving a mile. You can waste almost a gallon of gas if you leave your car idling for more than an hour.
It is bad for the environment. Your exhaust system produces emissions into the air and contributes to air pollution. Sitting in one spot for a long period of time pollutes air.
We sometimes get asked, “But won’t that wear out my starter and battery, to turn my engine on and off?” The answer is no. For typical drivers (i.e., 10 or fewer starts per day), the starter motor is unlikely to need to be replaced during the vehicle’s life. Today’s starters are more robust than those in older cars.
So, turn off your vehicle when you are parked and you’re not going anywhere. You’ll save money and fuel while doing good for the air.

The threat of high ozone diminishes as the hours of daylight shorten and temperatures drop.

Officially, our air quality forecasting has shifted from both ozone and particle pollution forecasting to just particle pollution. However, it’s always important to maintain daily habits which keep our pollution low and our air healthy.

Reduce idling, share rides and walk or bike when you can to keep our air cleaner and our community healthier. Leaves and yard waste make great compost and should never be burned. Tires may be under ideal pressure since the temperatures have dropped, so check them and add air as needed. Don’t put off vehicle maintenance like oil changes.

Air friendly habits and regular vehicle maintenance will help keep the air clean year round, and keep our community healthier throughout all seasons.

In autumn, we focus on trees and admire the change of colors of the leaves. As we notice them, it’s a good time to appreciate how trees keep us cool and improve our air quality.

Trees not only absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, but they also reduce the heat island effect of our city. Cooler temperatures will reduce our area’s air pollution, and shade trees play a big part in cooling our city.

Trees reduce our need for air conditioning in the summer and can increase property values. They reduce noise and absorb storm water runoff. Many studies show that trees even reduce our stress! So, while we admire the aesthetic qualities of trees, let us also appreciate the many benefits they provide for our comfort and economy.

There are numerous opportunities to help replace our local tree canopy. Groups like Trees Louisville host plantings and tree giveaways to help us replace lost tree canopy and keep us green. Trees will always be an important factor to help our air.

School supplies? Check. Lunch? Check. Schedule? Check.
Clean air?

Your back to school checklist should include a return to the Idle Free habit of reduced idling in car and bus pickup spots at school. Students, parents and staff are all breathing in extra exhaust that surround the school at pickup and dropoff times. Let’s make the air around the school cleaner and healthier for everyone by turning off vehicle engines while waiting.

Idle Free Schools with healthier air? Check. 🙂

Have a productive and healthy school year!

There is an Air Quality Alert for Wednesday and Thursday (7/21 and 7/22) in Louisville and Southern Indiana. Fine particle pollution (PM2.5) is forecast to be Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (seniors, children, and people with heart and/or lung disease).