Don’t Be An Idler

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, “Personal-vehicle idling wastes about 3 billion gallons of fuel, generating around 30 million tons of CO2 annually in the U.S.”

 I’d like to ask EW readers to please turn off your engines while sitting in your car, texting, talking or whatever. Yes, I know, you paid for the petrol, so youable to do whatever the heck you want. It’s true, but you wouldn’t take a hose and attach one end to the tail pipe and put the other end in the back window while you sit there idling in the car park would you?

Heavens no, that would harm you or your child or the elderly person you’re waiting for to come out of the pharmacy with their inhaler. I’ve politely asked many people why they do it. Some people ignore me, some are rude, some explain that the heat’s on because it’s cold, or AC is on because it’s hot inside the car and their baby’s sleeping. People old and young, female and male, farmers and office workers do it. 

But our actions have consequences.

If you care about children, people or climate change facts, can you just turn off your engine please?

If it’s cold wear a jacket, if it’s warm go stand in the shade. You’d save money, reduce pollution, help the old and young and conserve energy for the future generations sleeping in the car seat behind you.

Tim Moxley

Eugene