Anti-idling Kids Program
Anti-idling Kids Program This Program Teaches: the impact of idling a vehicle on health and the environment, and the things people can do to prevent air pollution and exposure.
Key Concepts: Idling vehicles release air pollutants (commonly called soot) in areas where students are waiting for the bus or entering or exiting the school building. Children are especially vulnerable because they breathe faster than adults, inhale more air per pound of body weight (50%), and stand at tailpipe level. Every year, hundreds in our state die prematurely from exposure to exhaust. Fine particle pollution may actually cause more deaths in NJ than homicides and car accidents combined (source: NJDEP). Idling contributes to health issues such as asthma, lung problems, allergies and even heart disease. Idling is illegal for more than 3 minutes in New Jersey. Vehicles that idle 10 minutes per day waste more than 29 gallons of fuel per year. One anti-idling activist group estimates that the United States wastes 3.8 million gallons of gasoline this way every day, and annually that adds up to 1.4 billion gallons, which emit 13 million tons of carbon dioxide. An standing vehicle that is idling causes 20 times more air pollution than a vehicle in motion. Idling is an important contributor to climate change and smog. Just 10 seconds of idling uses more gasoline than restarting your car. In winter, emissions from a cold engine are more than double the normal level. Fuel consumption is also higher in cold weather. Idling harms your engine and exhaust system; increases maintenance costs by leaving fuel residues that contaminate motor oil and make spark plugs dirty. - more -
Vocabulary: Ask students what each of word below means. Ask them to spell the word and use in a sentence. o idle or idling – inactive not in use, not moving or in operation o emission – the process of sending out o vehicle – a machine or object that helps us get from one place to another o smog – a discolored haze that is a combination of airborne particles, gases, and chemicals (ground level ozone) that together affect our health and natural environment, a form of air pollution. o air pollution – substances in air that have harmful or unpleasant effects
Discussion Questions: 1.) Where might people idle their cars (outside schools, businesses, post office, bank)? 2.) Discuss instances in which you have found yourself in an idling vehicle. 3.) What are the harmful substances in our car emissions (greenhouse gases; carcinogens, smog-forming chemicals)? 4.) How do car emissions affect the air (little particles of fuel get into the air)? 5.) What other affects do car emissions have on the environment (acid rain and global warming)? 6.) How might an idling car be harmful to people’s health (i.e., can worsen asthma and bronchitis; cause eye, nose and throat irritation, and coughing and wheezing; reduced lung capacity.)? 7.) Define global warming and some problems related to global warming (i.e., melting of artic ice; endangered species)?
Actions: Design posters/bookmarks to promote campaign (i.e., “Turn off your engine, kids breathe here;” “No idling/young lungs at work;” “Spare the Air.”) Write morning announcements for their school. - more -
Recruit students (3rd grade and older) to form Clean Air Patrol (CAP). Put a “no idling” policy in the school handbook. Encourage your school district to sign the No Idling Pledge. Tell family and friends, neighbors and school bus drivers to stop idling. Report vehicles idling more than 3 minutes by calling (877) WARNDEP. Make an educational native tree garden in the school courtyard, which models a local forest ecosystem. Have students gather data during pick up and/or drop off times. (For example, 26 percent of all vehicles entering the school property at dismissal time idle for longer than three minutes. Some idle for an hour.) Do pre and post test to see if campaign has had an impact. Conduct in-person or phone survey.
Key Concepts: Idling vehicles release air pollutants (commonly called soot) in areas where students are waiting for the bus or entering or exiting the school building. Children are especially vulnerable because they breathe faster than adults, inhale more air per pound of body weight (50%), and stand at tailpipe level. Every year, hundreds in our state die prematurely from exposure to exhaust. Fine particle pollution may actually cause more deaths in NJ than homicides and car accidents combined (source: NJDEP). Idling contributes to health issues such as asthma, lung problems, allergies and even heart disease. Idling is illegal for more than 3 minutes in New Jersey. Vehicles that idle 10 minutes per day waste more than 29 gallons of fuel per year. One anti-idling activist group estimates that the United States wastes 3.8 million gallons of gasoline this way every day, and annually that adds up to 1.4 billion gallons, which emit 13 million tons of carbon dioxide. An standing vehicle that is idling causes 20 times more air pollution than a vehicle in motion. Idling is an important contributor to climate change and smog. Just 10 seconds of idling uses more gasoline than restarting your car. In winter, emissions from a cold engine are more than double the normal level. Fuel consumption is also higher in cold weather. Idling harms your engine and exhaust system; increases maintenance costs by leaving fuel residues that contaminate motor oil and make spark plugs dirty. - more -
Vocabulary: Ask students what each of word below means. Ask them to spell the word and use in a sentence. o idle or idling – inactive not in use, not moving or in operation o emission – the process of sending out o vehicle – a machine or object that helps us get from one place to another o smog – a discolored haze that is a combination of airborne particles, gases, and chemicals (ground level ozone) that together affect our health and natural environment, a form of air pollution. o air pollution – substances in air that have harmful or unpleasant effects
Discussion Questions: 1.) Where might people idle their cars (outside schools, businesses, post office, bank)? 2.) Discuss instances in which you have found yourself in an idling vehicle. 3.) What are the harmful substances in our car emissions (greenhouse gases; carcinogens, smog-forming chemicals)? 4.) How do car emissions affect the air (little particles of fuel get into the air)? 5.) What other affects do car emissions have on the environment (acid rain and global warming)? 6.) How might an idling car be harmful to people’s health (i.e., can worsen asthma and bronchitis; cause eye, nose and throat irritation, and coughing and wheezing; reduced lung capacity.)? 7.) Define global warming and some problems related to global warming (i.e., melting of artic ice; endangered species)?
Actions: Design posters/bookmarks to promote campaign (i.e., “Turn off your engine, kids breathe here;” “No idling/young lungs at work;” “Spare the Air.”) Write morning announcements for their school. - more -
Recruit students (3rd grade and older) to form Clean Air Patrol (CAP). Put a “no idling” policy in the school handbook. Encourage your school district to sign the No Idling Pledge. Tell family and friends, neighbors and school bus drivers to stop idling. Report vehicles idling more than 3 minutes by calling (877) WARNDEP. Make an educational native tree garden in the school courtyard, which models a local forest ecosystem. Have students gather data during pick up and/or drop off times. (For example, 26 percent of all vehicles entering the school property at dismissal time idle for longer than three minutes. Some idle for an hour.) Do pre and post test to see if campaign has had an impact. Conduct in-person or phone survey.
