Why All Drivers Should Avoid Idling...

Clean Air NY encourages alternatives to driving, promoting healthier air through biking, mass transit and reduced vehicle use. But — sometimes — even the best of us give in to the convenience of a car. When driving, alone or (we hope!) in a carpool or vanpool, you can lower your vehicle’s impact. One easy way is to reduce idling.

We idle anytime we leave the engine running while the car isn’t in use. Many New Yorkers idle based on misinformation regarding fuel consumption and engine wear. We’ve heard that stopping and restarting our car wastes more gas, harms the engine and prevents the car from warming up properly.

But these false assumptions often skim over the negative effects of idling. Our vehicles, our air and our wallets feel the costs on a regular basis:
- In addition to soot and smog-forming particles, idling vehicles produce about 130,000 tons of carbon dioxide each year.
- Fuel cannot combust completely in idling vehicles, so idling engines experience increased corrosion along with general wear-and-tear.
- An idling car or truck can waste between $62 and $529 of gas each year (based on current prices).

Most idling myths don’t hold up with today’s vehicles. Allowing your car to idle for more than 10 seconds actually wastes more fuel than restarting the engine. Idling in cold weather is unnecessary: Cars actually warm up more thoroughly when driven slowly and carefully for the first few minutes. Additional engine use and increased fuel consumption far outweigh the costs of wear-and-tear from restarts.

The good news: Reducing idling is simple and translates to real environmental, health and financial benefits for drivers. Most of us idle without a second thought—in the drive-through lane, at railroad crossings or while waiting to pick up a passenger. By cutting off such habits, you can save gas and improve New York’s air quality.

So stop and think next time you’ll be stopped for a bit. Shut off the engine. Step outside and breathe in the healthier air that you’re helping create.

Interested in learning more?
Idle-Free NYC: http://www.idle-free.info/
Environmental Defense Fund: “Idling Gets You Nowhere” http://www.edf.org/documents/9236_Idling_Nowhere_2009.pdf

For more information on other things you can do to improve NY’s air quality, please visit: http://www.cleanairny.org/DoYourPart/WhatCanIDo.aspx.

Guest Blogger: Sarah Tansey, Clean Air NY/CommuterLink summer intern.

New York City Strengthens Anti-Idling Laws

Last month, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed legislation reducing the amount of time that vehicles can idle near schools and expanding the city's enforcement of idling laws. Under the new law, which does not apply to emergency service vehicles, the legal idling time is reduced from three minutes to one minute. The law also encourages greater public awareness by requiring that applicants for licenses to operate for–hire vehicles demonstrate their knowledge of idling laws.

According to the Environmental Defense Fund's August 2008 report Idling Gets You Nowhere, idling cars and trucks in New York City annually produce 760 tons of smog-forming nitrogen oxides, the equivalent of 3,000 large trucks each driving one million miles. They also produce 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming. Citywide, idling also wastes on average 14,000 gallons of gasoline and 11,000 gallons of diesel each day.

Debunking 5 Myths about Idling

1. Idling does not warm up the engine efficiently or effectively.
2. Although idling powers heating and cooling systems, it creates harmful in–cabin pollution.
3. Idling does not reduce engine and ignition starter wear compared with restarting.
4. Restarting the engine does not require more fuel if the vehicle will be stopped for more than ten seconds.
5. Running the engine will not avoid a ticket by creating the appearance that the driver is not parked or will return shortly – it is still a violation of New York City and State law.

To sign up for real-time Air Quality Action Day updates, text AIR to 42269 or visit www.cleanairny.org

Clean Air NY is sponsored by the New York State Department of Transportation in support of regionwide air-quality efforts.