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.

National Bike to Work Day 15 Inspired This Commuter to Become A Biker

Do you have a bike in your garage that you've wanted to use now that the weather is warmer? Well, if you’re like me, I had been waiting for the right time and found it just recently. My company participated in National Bike to Work Day on May 15 by setting up a competition among offices to see which one could get the most people to bike to work. Some of my colleagues ride in every day, but I was new to biking and not sure I was ready for the challenge. When a colleague told me about all the reasons biking is so good for me and my surroundings, I couldn't say no. Did you know that a short, four-mile round trip by bike keeps about 15 pounds of pollutants out of the air we breathe? Even our small steps can make a big difference!

Aside from the environmental benefits, I saved money on my commute (no stops at the pump to fill up on gas!) and felt a fresh, energetic start to the day. Biking to and from work is now my mode of exercise; did you know that a 130-pound cyclist burns 402 calories while pedaling 14 miles in an hour? By biking to work, I found that I felt healthier, saved money and improved the air quality in my region. Grab your bike out of the garage and get on the road!

Guest Blogger, Ryan Thompson, Clean Air NY individual partner.

What Is An Air Quality Action Day?

Air Quality Action Days are announced when air quality is predicted to be in the unhealthy range, in parts or all of the New York metropolitan area. This affects everyone, especially sensitive groups such as those with heart and lung problems or asthma, the elderly and children. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is responsible for analyzing air pollution data and forecasts whether air quality will approach or exceed unhealthy levels. Based on these forecasts, the New York State Department of Transportation issues an Air Quality Action Day and Clean Air NY sends an update to our network. On these days, all of us in the New York metro area are asked to make a special effort – such as driving less – to reduce activities that contribute to air pollution.

These are days that are all about making smart travel choices.

Here is a to-do list on an Air Quality Action Day:


* Stay Indoors. Seize the opportunity to catch up on the television programs you recorded, to play board games with your family or to finish that book you started months ago.
Limit Driving. Reschedule your trips and errands to another day, if possible. If you must travel, try to limit driving and engine idling; even better -- don’t drive and work from home.
* Refuel After Dark. Filling your tank in the evening prevents certain pollutants from being emitted that react with sunlight and heat to create ground-level ozone.
* Combine Trips. You can save time while you are improving the air. Instead of going home after work and then back out to the gym or to the grocery store, plan ahead and combine your errands into one trip, even on the weekends.
*Bike, Walk or Use Public Transit. Forgoing your car just one day a week for a year could save about 1,000 miles on the vehicle and $500 in total driving costs.1 You’ll not only gain extra money but all the health benefits from walking or biking as you help to reduce air pollution.
*Share a Ride. Whenever possible, share a ride by carpooling or vanpooling to your destination. To find a carpool partner or vanpool, visit 511ny.org.

The forecast for an Air Quality Action Day typically is determined a day ahead of the actual day. Clean Air NY will alert you to an upcoming Air Quality Action Day through an Air Quality Action Day Update. The update will arrive via e-mail or text message with information on how to improve air quality and to avoid air pollution effects on the Action Day.

May usually begins the season for Air Quality Action Days, so be sure to sign up today to receive your updates from Clean Air NY by visiting CleanAirNY.org or text air to 42269. We also suggest that you start trying the travel behaviors we’ve outlined now to be ready when Air Quality Action Days are announced.

Jessica Horne is Marketing and Outreach Associate of Clean Air NY.