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Back-to-school time means new shoes, a new backpack, and some new habits, at least in Utah. Sixty-two schools in the Salt Lake Valley are kicking off "Idle Free Utah" today.
Zachary Adamson is idle free, and now some groups are hoping more kids will follow his lead. Starting today, volunteers are knocking on windows in school drop-off zones, asking parents to shut down that engine.
The kids are leading the way.
"We're leaving this world to them. You know, they're the ones who are going to have to fix a lot of these programs and these problems," says Salt Lake County Environmental Policy Coordinator Ann Ober.
She says it won't stop with the schools.
"Why not start today? And why not listen to the things that they're already asking for, like air that they can breathe?" she asks.
Ober says she understands there are times when being idle free isn't practical, such as when there's an elderly person in the car or during extreme weather. But she says all of us can use our common sense and make a difference.
"It's a great partnership. I'm sure we will have plenty of opportunities to do some good," she says.
Parent Jessica Greenhawt said, "I love it. I think it should have been started a long time ago. Last year, I was pulling up here and picking up my kindergartner. I would always turn my car off, but there's a lot of people who don't. So I'm happy to spread the word."
Nina Kennedy-Yoon, a fifth-grader at Hawthorne Elementary, said, "I think it's good because if we kept on polluting it wouldn't be too good because you'd be breathing in smoke and pollution all the time."
Another fifth-grader, Sami Saed, said, "I think it's a good idea because if we don't stop polluting, in a little while the earth will be completely trashed."
Salt Lake Mayor Ralph Becker has signed an executive order telling Salt Lake City employees not to idle more than 10 seconds unless idling is necessary in an emergency situation or for equipment operation in the vehicle.
Some of the arguments for "turning the key" and being "idle free" listed on the Idle Free Web site include:
- Pollution - by idling, drivers are exposed to exhaust they aren't exposed to when the car is in motion
- Health - children's asthma symptoms can be aggravated by car exhaust, and children's lungs are still developing, so they actually inhale more pollutants per pound of body weight than adults
- Money - idling your engine for 10 seconds uses the same amount of gas as starting your car
Hawthorne Elementary is one of 63 schools in the Salt Lake Valley that have joined Idle-Free Utah's outreach efforts being launched this week.
Groups involved in the effort include Salt Lake City, the Utah Transit Authority, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Utah Moms for Clean Air, Salt Lake County, and Utah Clean Cities.
E-mail: bbruce@ksl.com
E-mail: jdaley@ksl.com
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