The High Cost to Society of Idling

Problems caused by idling

There are a number of problems associated with idling:

It’s expensive
It’s bad for breathing
It’s bad for children
It’s an ineffective way to warm your vehicle
It’s damaging your vehicle

It’s expensive
Even if the vehicle isn’t moving, if the engine is running, gas and oil are being consumed. With fuel prices as high as they [...]

20 Things you should know about idling

Idling gets you nowhere – and it can be costly. Excessive idling wastes over $100 a year per vehicle, and generates needless greenhouse gas emissions.
Idling produces more emissions per minute than driving.
Engine exhaust (diesel and gas) contains more than 40 hazardous air pollutants.
Traffic areas around schools – where vehicles are often [...]

Tailpipe Emissions | These are the chemicals produced by a vehicle as it runs

Tailpipe emissions

These are the chemicals produced by a vehicle as it runs (1):

Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
Hydrocarbons (HC)
Sulphur dioxide (SO2)
Particulate matter (PM10)
Ozone (O3)

Carbon dioxide (CO2)

Sources:

The combustion of fossil fuels (oil, gasoline, coal, etc.); deforestation.
Every litre of gasoline that is burned produces about 2.3 kg of CO2.(2)

Impacts:
Responsible for over 60% of the enhanced [...]

Drive-Thrus: Convenience With a Side of Pollution Arlington focuses on drive-through windows to fight pollution

Seeking to improve air quality, an Arlington citizens’ group will study ways to reduce emissions from cars idling in drive-through restaurants.
“We’re just trying to put our heads together and see if there’s any way we can improve the situation,” City Councilwoman Sheri Capehart said Wednesday.  “And there may not be.”
She chairs a City Council committee that [...]

City of London Anti-Idling Campaign | 2009

Be Idle Free!

Some Facts About Idling

The average Canadian idles their car for about 5-10 minutes per day.  Some of this is unavoidable (i.e., waiting at red lights), but a lot of idling is avoidable.  This works out to roughly 20,000 to 40,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases per year, or about 1% of [...]

Pollution Link to Asthma in Womb & Affects to Genes | Traffic Pollution Study

Pollution link to asthma in womb

One in ten children in the UK have asthma

Traffic pollution causes genetic changes in the womb which increase a child’s risk of developing asthma, research suggests.
Sunday, 15 February 2009
A study of umbilical cord blood from 56 children found “reprogramming” of a gene associated [...]