Yesterday, I decided to go to the drive-thru of a new hamburger place here in Jacksonville, N.C. Because it is “new,” the line was long and traffic was backed up. As I sat there waiting and idling, I remembered how bad idling is.
Why is sitting in an idling car bad? First, there is the emission it releases into the air. It can be so bad that if your city is in a basin like Salt Lake City, the car emission can become trapped, causing smog and unhealthy air. Students in Salt Lake City recently drafted an anti-idling resolution, which was passed by the Utah legislature last month. There are now signs asking drivers to turn off the engines at schools, airports, and other areas where drivers are more likely to sit idle.
It seems easy enough to do, but most of us were taught if we were sitting, waiting somewhere in the car, just keep it running. How do you know when to turn off the engine?
The California Energy Commission has a rule of thumb for drivers. If you are parked and sitting idle for more than 10 seconds, shut the engine off.
Every time you sit idle for two minutes, you are using the fuel it takes to drive about one mile. Studies show that most people sit idle in their car an average of five to six minutes a day, although it is usually more in the summer (probably to keep the air conditioning running). Most drivers are losing three miles of fuel each day – that can add up in wasted gas in addition to polluting the air.
The California Energy Commission recommends that if you are going to sit idle for more than 30 seconds, shut the engine off. Salt Lake City officials at the Office of Sustainability took it a step further – they suggest you turn off the engine if you are sitting idle for more than 10 seconds.
Yes, this means when you are in the kiss and drive lane at school, when it is raining and you are sitting in the long McDonalds drive-thru line, or when you leave others in the car to run into the bank for just a second, you should shut the car engine off.
There has even been a new campaign launched in Salt Lake City to remind everyone – “Turn your key, be idle-free.”
(This image is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code)