The Citizens Environment Alliance(e.g., smog, acid rain, global warming)-> they damage our health....

The Citizens Environment Alliancepresents

IDLE-FREE WINDSOR

Citizen Environment Alliance's 'Idle-Free Windsor' project

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What are some common situations in which people idle their vehicles? (necessary VS unnecessary idling)

Vehicle Idling

-> Warming up a vehicle-> Using drive-thru lanes-> Waiting for someone-> Stopped at railway crossings-> Waiting to park-> Running quick errands -> Stopping to talk to an acquaintance or friend -> Waiting in line to get gasoline or having the car washed-> Preparing to leave the house


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Why is vehicle idling such an important issue?

-> Idling is such a threat to our health and our environment, that many private companies, government agencies, environmental organizations, and even some of the drivers you know have taken steps to reduce the amount of time we spend idling our vehicles.

-> For example, the City of Windsor has an anti-idling by-law (www.citywindsor.ca, by-law #233-2001). To make a complaint about an idling vehicle, call 311.

-> Many cities across Ontario have ‘Idle-Free Zones’ (e.g., hospital & school zones)


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Vehicle Idling

All situations of vehicle idling have three things in common:

-> they waste fuel and money

-> they cause environmental problems (e.g., smog, acid rain, global warming)

-> they damage our health

The Citizens Environment Alliancepresents

IDLE-FREE WINDSOR

to protect your health, save your environment, and

spare your pocketbook


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How realistic is the film?Would flowers immediately wilt?


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Would birds really fall out of the sky?


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Would squirrels really drop dead?


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Because these are long-term effects. It takes time for the effects to be seen.

Why not? Why wouldn’t things happen just like they were portrayed in the film?


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How realistic is the film?HEALTH EFFECTS of vehicle emissions

-> Immediate harmful effects

-> Severity of health effects

E.g., can induce or aggravate asthma & allergies, and can cause headaches or eye/throat irritation

NOTE: vehicle emissions don’t usually cause immediate death

E.g., can lead to emergency room visits & hospital admissions

E.g., can cause premature death (e.g., CO poisoning)


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How realistic is the film?(cont’d)

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS of vehicle emissions

-> Vehicle emissions contribute to acid rain, smog & ground-level ozone

-> Socks-in-a-bag demo


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-> Vehicle emissions contribute to climate change


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Idling in ContextWhat is the GREENHOUSE EFFECT?

-> The atmosphere is like a blanket that surrounds the earth. It lets in just the right amount of the sun’s heat and reflects the rest back out into space.


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Why is our greenhouse getting too warm?

-> too much CO2 in the atmosphere (CO2 is a key player in the natural greenhouse effect)

THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT (cont’d)


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What sort of things put CO2 into the atmosphere?

-> E.g., driving & idling our automobiles -> if you have smelled car fumes, you got a nose full of CO2

at the same time


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Idling in Context (cont’d)THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT (cont’d)Here are two kids playing on a teeter-totter*-> At one end, the child weighs the same as the amount of CO2

removed from the atmosphere (aka, removal kid).

-> The child on the other end weighs the same as the amount of CO2 put into the atmosphere (aka, release kid).


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The teeter-totter was essentially in balance for about 10,000 years.


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Idling in Context (cont’d)

But now the teeter-totter has tipped

THE ENHANCED GREENHOUSE EFFECT

These days, the kid who puts CO2 into the atmosphere is now much heavier than the kid who takes CO2 out of the atmosphere.

And the one putting it in keeps getting heavier and heavier.


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THE ENHANCED GREENHOUSE EFFECT


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It’s time to put the “release kid” (the one putting CO2 into the atmosphere) on a diet!

THE ENHANCED GREENHOUSE EFFECT (cont’d)

… and we (all of us) can help.


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Are we protected from vehicle emissions if we remain inside our vehicle?

VEHICLE IDLING (cont’d)

-> No visit: www.icta.org

The International Centre for Technology Assessment found that exposure to most auto pollutants is much higher inside vehicles than at the roadside.

The highest exposure occurs when sitting in traffic congestion on highways or in a line-up of idling vehicles.


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MYTH-BUSTING:True or False?

1) An idling vehicle emits nearly 20 times more pollution than one travelling at 50 km/h.

->True


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2) Idling contributes to the climate change problem.

-> True


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3) Idling is needed on cold winter days to ensure that all of the vehicle’s parts are warm.

-> False


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4) The best way to warm up a vehicle is to drive it.

-> True


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5) Idling your engine for more than 10 seconds (except in traffic) uses more fuel than shutting it off and restarting it.

-> True

6) It’s a good practice to shut off your engine when your vehicle is going to be stopped for more than 10 seconds (except in traffic).-> True


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7) I should turn off my vehicle when I’m stopped in stop-and-go traffic or at a long stoplight.

-> False


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8) Making sure it’s safe to drive the vehicle away is more important than reducing idling time.

-> True


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9) Carbon dioxide (CO2) stays in the atmosphere from 20 to 50 years.

-> False (Answer: 50 to 200 years)


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SolutionsWhat are some things you can do to help

reduce vehicle idling? *

• Turn on the engine only when you’re ready to leave.

• Reduce warm-up idling. Start driving after no more than 30 seconds of idling, assuming your vehicle’s windows are clear. Avoid high speeds and rapid acceleration for the first 5 km so that all moving parts can warm up.


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reduce vehicle idling? (cont’d)

• If you’re going to be stopped for more than 10 seconds (except in traffic), turn off your engine. Idling your vehicle for 10 seconds uses more fuel than it would take to restart the vehicle.

• Avoid using a remote car starter. These devices encourage you to start your vehicle before you’re ready to leave, which means unnecessary idling.


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reduce vehicle idling? (cont’d)

• Talk to your family, friends and neighbours about the benefits of reduced idling. Encourage them to join you in saving money, protecting your environment, and contributing to a healthier community.


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Questions?

…The End

“Carbon Monoxide” by Cake

Please visit: www.idlefreewindsor.orgCall: 519-973-1116

Email: [email protected]

The Citizens Environment Alliance(e.g., smog, acid rain, global warming)-> they damage our health....

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