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
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
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