idle-free for our kids' frequently asked questions, april, 2015

7/30/2019 'IDLE-FREE for our kids' Frequently Asked Questions, April, 2015

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IDLE-FREE for our kidsFrequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

April 2015

Al MacPhee

Honourary Chair

Rachel

Poster Girl

2007)


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IDLEFREE.org

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Key messages and FAQ The IDLE-FREE for our kids campaign

What do you mean by going IDLE-FREE for our kids?

When youre parked, not in traffic and it makes sense,

turn the engine off.

For any stop longer than a minute, not in traffic and when

safe to do so.

Avoid long warm-ups or long waits with the engine running.

The benefits of

IDLE-FREE for our kids

Save fuel

Protect your vehicle

Clear the air

Clear the air from excess emissions

Clear the air on IDLING myths

Why is this important for our kids?

Kids / tiny lungs are at-risk from poor

air quality and climate change (impact

on future generations).

How much money can you save?

A lot. The number we u se is 10 minutes a day.

Its an anchor that people can relate to.

Go IDLE-FREE for our kids 10 minutes a day and you can save

$200* a year.

*Based on a pump price of $1.15/litre, the average vehicle consumes

3.5 l itres of fuel per hour at idle, each litre creating about 2.4 kg of

CO2.

This assumes a broad-average vehicle typ e; vehicle age between 1

and 10 years, average engine size of between 4 and 8 cylinders.

Newer vehicles burn less, older vehicles burn more.

IDLING uses 3.5 l itres per hour ($200 a year)

http://www.toronto.ca/health/idling/
http://www.toronto.ca/health/idling/


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Saving emissions:

As clean as todays vehicles are, m ost sti l l use gasoline. Gasoline is

86% carbon, which creates CO2 greenhouse gas. One litre of

gasoline puts out about three times its weight in CO2.*

10 minutes of IDLE-FREE time a day can save between !and " ton

of CO2 per year. Multiply that by hundreds of thousands of vehicles

- the numbers really add up.

*How Gasoline Becomes CO2

http://www.slate.com/id/2152685/

Air quality:

As clean as todays vehicles are, th ere are a lot of older vehicles on

the road. Almost all cars and trucks have emissions which should

be avoided by tiny lungs.

The Nova Scotia Lung Association says that vehicle emissions

around schools, hockey rinks, etcetera, are a contributing factor to

poor air quality. Today, 1 in 5 kids have asthma in Nova Scotia.

Aggravated asthma is the number one reason kids miss school (see

asthma facts attached from The Lung Association of Nova Scotia).

WHAT ARE THE IDLING MYTHS?

MYTH:It takes a long time to warm up your vehicle.

FACT: Engines get hot in 30 60 seconds. Driving is the best way

to warm up the entire vehicle.

MYTH:Idling is good for your vehicle.

FACT: Excessive idling burns gas poorly and can harm the engine &

exhaust.

MYTH:Re-starting is hard on your starter.

FACT: Today's electronic starters can be turned on and off with

little wear.

TALK TO YOUR SERVICE TECH.GET THE FACTS ON IDLE-MYTHS.
http://www.slate.com/id/2152685/


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A SAMPLING OF WHAT THE AUTO INDUSTRY SAYS:

GM 12 Steps to Greener Driving

5. Avoid Idling:

A car gets 0 mpg when the e ngine is idling: While it does take a

small amount of fuel to resta rt a vehicle, 15 minutes in the drive-

through can burn through a quarter of a gallon of fuel. So that

dollar menu is more l ike a $2 menu.

You're burning fuel while idling - up to a 3.79 l itres every hour.

http://www.gm.ca/gm/english/services/certif iedservice/drivesmarter/driving-tips

http://www.gm.ca/gm/english/services/certif iedservice/drivesmarter/driving-

articles

http://media.gm.com/content/product/public/us/en/FuelEfficiency/tips.html

FORD

Don't idle for more than 30 seconds. Today's engines don't need to

be warmed up. Prolonged idling creates excess emissions and

wastes fuel. Start the car and immediately drive away.

http://corporate.ford.com/news-center/press-releases-detail/ecodriving-458p

Turn off the engine while waiting.

http://support.ford.com/maintenance/fuel-saving-tips

See the letter attached from Ford of Canada.

WHEELS.CA

Warm-up debate gets pretty heated, but it's based on old facts

Published December 2, 2013

http://www.wheels.ca/news/should-you-warm-up-your-car-before-driving-it/
http://www.wheels.ca/news/should-you-warm-up-your-car-before-driving-it/http://support.ford.com/maintenance/fuel-saving-tipshttp://corporate.ford.com/news-center/press-releases-detail/ecodriving-458phttp://media.gm.com/content/product/public/us/en/FuelEfficiency/tips.htmlhttp://www.gm.ca/gm/english/services/certifiedservice/drivesmarter/driving-articleshttp://www.gm.ca/gm/english/services/certifiedservice/drivesmarter/driving-tips


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WHAT ABOUT DRIVE-THRUS?

IDLE-FREE for our kids isnt anti-drive-thru;

were pro-common sense.

Many of those who support IDLE-FREE for our kids use drive-thrus

with their kids. We leave it to each individual drivers common

sense and knowledge of their vehicle in terms of where and when to

shut off the ignition.

IDLE-FREE for our kids when it can make sense

Avoiding long warm-ups; 1 minute is best

(if free of windshield ice and snow).

Run the radio on accessory while on break in the car or

waiting for someone.

Roll windows down for a natural cross-breeze vs. running

AC and IDLING with the windows up.

Avoid IDLING for heat on break or when waiting for someone

(existing heat in the vehicle cabin can last approx. 15 minutes

after driving and parking).

Consider avoiding the drive through during long-lines. Walk in

for a large order.

After appreciating how small the sacrifice is and how large

the savings can be, promote the IDLE-FREE for our kids habit

to family, friends and colleagues.

Why has IDLE-FREE for our kids attracted the support of car

dealers, major businesses, media outlets and sponsors?

We make it simple, and our kids make it stick.

Were all- inclusive our goal is to not turn anyone off.

Weve proven that practical, positive messaging coupled with the

emotional appeal of kids m akes it easy to say yes and hard

to say no.

Nine years of R&D has clearly revealed the TWO reasons 80% of us

IDLE when were parked:

Were not thinking about it.

We believe in (1970s) myths related to old car technology

When it comes to IDLE-time, we dont get stuck on information

about temperature conditions or technical specs.


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We leave it up to individual drivers with o ne simple message:

when youre parked and it makes sense

go IDLE-FREE for our kids.

We shy away from the term anti-idling it turns off a large

segment of the public. Anti is a negative term.

Were a positive campaign.

Nine years of study and experience has shown that 80% of the

public (all demographics) buy-in to a positive, future-friendly

campaign (kids). Car dealers, bus companies and engine techs have

been some of our strongest supporters (since 2007).

Our branding / messaging has proven popular; embraced at venues

such as stock car racing, transportation conferences (co-branded

by Allison Transmission and Motor Coach Industries) and in public.

Thanks to the support of ca r dealers we have the credibil ity of the

car industry backing us up. Dont take our word about the IDLING

myths talk to your service tech.

We dont play favourites. Were not concerned about what vehicle

you drive or how long you left it running this morning. Our

approach is: heres the impact we can have together. Lets get

started. Lets do this for our kids.

It works amazingly well . How do we know?

Our feedback and success with business, media, health, education

and the public since 2007.

The 2010 Vancouver Olympics l iked our IDLE-FREE Bus so much,

it carried the mens hockey teams.

For more on IDLE-FREE for our kids and The Childrens Clean Air

Network, visit our legacy web site www.IDLEFREE.org

Also visit IDLEFREEGuy.com
http://www.idlefree.org/http://idlefreeguy.com/


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FACTS ABOUT ASTHMA

Asthma is a Greek word, roughly translated as laboured

breathing.

At 9.3%, Nova Scotia has the highest rate of asthma in Canada.

17%, or about one in five kids, have asthma in Nova Scotia.

Asthma attacks are the most common childhood medical

emergency.

Childhood asthma accounts for one quarter of school absenteeism.

About twice as many boys as girls develop childhood asthma.

Health Canada estimates that more than 5000 Canadians die

prematurely each year because of air pollution, and thousands more

become unnecessarily i l l .

Vehicle exhaust can trigger asthma attacks and contribute to the

growing rate of lung disease in Nova Scotia.

Excess exhaust from vehicles is particularly harmful to children for

three reasons:

Kids are shorter than adults and closer to particles from

vehicle exhaust

Kids breathe faster than adults and inhale more air per

kilogram of body weight

Kids lungs arent fully developed and are weaker managing air

pollutants


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IDLEFREE.org

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About IDLE-FREE Guy and The Childrens Clean Air Network

The Children's Clean Air Network is a network of l ike-minded

partners promoting IDLE-IDLE Free for our kids.

The vision is to inspire North America to go IDLE-FREE - when

parked. The goal is to reduce vehicle emissions, ultimately saving

bill ions of dollars in fuel and cutting mill ions of tons of greenhouse

gas.

The Children's Clean Air Network began as a grassroots campaign

in 2006 at Kingswood Elementary School, near Halifax, Nova Scotia,

Canada.

Its founder is father of two and hockey dad, Ron Zima, also known

as IDLE-FREE Guy. Our kids are depending on us to take care of

their planet. Hockey rinks, schools and public places are prime

locations where kids depend on clean air and where together, we

can have a huge impact by going IDLE-FREE for our kids.

Partner organizations include schools, businesses, media outlets,

and health and environment organizations.

Always-on vehicle emissions impact the health and future of

children and represent a significant loss of fuel and resources.

The Children's Clean Air Network seeks to inspire the public and

empower children to lead change.

Contact:

Ron Zima ADpPR

GoGreen Communications

Founder / Chair,

The Childrens Clean Air Network

902-456-2550

[email protected]

IDLEFREEGuy.com
http://idlefreeguy.com/


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Mission of The Childrens Clean Air Network

To reduce greenhouse gas and improve air quality by reducing

vehicle emissions.

Vision

Excess vehicle emissions will become as socially un acceptable as

second hand smoke.

Purpose

To empower kids to transform driver behavior. Kids need a voice on

climate change and poor air quality.

Strategy

To partner with business, schools and media to inspire through

simple and consistent messaging.

Well engage, inspire, and empower change in a positive manner.

GoGreen Communications is a registered Nova Scotia agency in

support of The Childrens Clean Air Network and its mission.


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Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited

Ford du Canada Limites

Cold weather idling is largely a waste of fuel. It is also a source of unwanted pollution. Except in the most

extreme conditions, once an engine has been started and the warning lights or indicator gauges show

normal, a vehicle can be driven away gently. There are other considerations besides engine function in

extreme cold weather axle, transmission, steering and brake fluids are also very viscous.

Extended idling is of very little benefit. Modern engines do not produce significant heat at idle and do not

need significant internal heat to operate properly. Diesel engines in particular are prone to cooling off to the

point where the injectors no longer contain the fuel properly and slobbering takes place. This puts

excessive amounts of raw fuel in the combustion chamber and can lead to damage. We urge people to use

thermostatically controlled block heaters overnight or when a vehicle is parked for lengthy periods. Timed

block heaters are also an option. Remote or automatic starting is not a route we recommend.

Many people are concerned about starter wear. Tests have shown that this is not an issue. Starter life will

not be seriously jeopardized by the few extra turns needed or the small increase in the number of times it

will be put to use. Tests done by a European automaker (albeit at room temperature) showed that an

automobile could be turned off and restarted 30 times per minute and still return better fuel economy than

when left idling for the whole minute.

Technically speaking, extended idling is not necessary. Interior comfort is another issue, (as) relative

warmth is certainly a consideration for the passengers.

Sincerely,

Wayne Pattee,

Mgr. Vehicle Emissions and Fuels

Reprinted with the permission of Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited
http://www.climatechangenorth.ca/section-LP/LP_27_HI_S_jennifer_SH.htmlhttp://www.climatechangenorth.ca/section-LP/LP_27_HI_S_jennifer_SH.htmlhttp://www.climatechangenorth.ca/section-LP/LP_27_HI_S_jennifer_SH.html

idle-free for our kids' frequently asked questions, april, 2015

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