Step 1: Decide to be part of the POLLUTION SOLUTION !

Changing habits is what we are really doing and YES...CHANGING HABITS IS HARD TO DO!
It takes a strong willed person and repeated effort to stop harmful habits.

Learn the facts about idling, how its harmful to the environment and to the health of your family and neighbours. Then make a pledge!

Drive responsibly. Pledge not to idle your vehicle needlessly.

Step 2: GET OTHERS TO BE PART OF THE 'POLLUTION SOLUTION'

So you know that there are many simple things that we can all do, are cheap or save money and some, like idling, can have an immediate benefit to your local surroundings. But one car won't make a difference if 20 other cars are still doing it.

There are many groups that we have contact with and can influence. Select a program that is of interest, and read more how you, your family and friends can make a difference.

HESITANT? If you need motivation, just look at the kid in your neighbourhood or home and you will know why your time and effort will be worthwhile! Our kids deserve better!

Learn the facts about idling, how its harmful to the environment and to your health.

Then make a pledge to change your ways to drive responsibly. Pledge not to idle your vehicle needlessly.

TO IMPROVE YOUR SURROUNDINGS WE NEED TO SPREAD THE WORD!
If you get 10 people to stop idling and 3 of them join in and get 10 people to stop idling, etc etc ...then we will make a difference.

OK...But what can I do today?

• Start a NO IDLING campaign at your local school...

In many communities, parents drive their kids to school or they get bused to school. Many times, parents and buses can be found idling their cars while waiting. This is harmful to the parents who are also waiting, to school staff and bus drivers, as well as the hundreds of kids who will be running out of the doors to walk into the collective plume of exhaust fumes.

Over time, DADA would like to help ween parents off the excessive use of vehicles in the community. There are many tips and ways to reduce the use of the car or make more efficient use of it.

Of course, walking or biking to school would be healthiest and best for the environment but it is not practical for some who live 5 kilometers from school. For those who do need to take the bus to school, we would like to make bus travel safer and cleaner for our kids and the environment and are therefore in contact with school bus companies to work with them to make school buses shut down their engines whenever the vehicle is in PARK.

For the parents that do drive to school, chances are you have some parents who are unaware of the harm they are causing when they idle their engines in the parking lots. So DADA supports existing no-idling programs and wants to provide further resources and offer a more strategic approach to make them more effective. This is the heart and the first phase of the DADA program and it requires parents like you to make it a success.

Talk to your Principal and School Council to start a program today!
Links: RESOURCES AND MATERIALS AVAILABLE TO SCHOOLS.

• STOP SCHOOL BUS IDLING ON SCHOOL PROPERTY AND ON SCHOOL TRIPS

At many schools, school buses are used to transport kids to and from school each day. But studies show that the interior of the buses have high levels of toxic pollutants and particulate matter which are harmful to young, developing lungs. The solution is simple as parents and schools need to ask school bus companies not to idle their vehicles for extended periods of time and to ensure all engines are turned off while parked at schools. Engines should only be turned on once the doors are closed and the last child is seated.
Many schools are starting to follow this procedure and the result is a cleaner and safer commute for the kids and less air and noise pollution at the schools.

There are many myths and excuses that school bus companies and drivers hold on to. The facts are that buses can turn off and start properly when ready to move, which provides for a more efficient and greener ride for our children. Kids with respiratory illnesses like asthma will complain less about their illnesses as well.

Talk to your Principal and School Council to start a program today!

ACTION: Download a letter to bus drivers and present to them at the school while asking them to help make the school an idle free zone. DOWNLOAD PDF HERE

Links:

• School bus idling and what every school bus driver should learn
• RESOURCES AND MATERIALS AVAILABLE TO SCHOOLS.
• Myths and facts: Why is Diesel fumes so dangerous and how does it affect the young and old
• What are examples of what mechanics and school bus companies say and are doing to stop idling

• COMMIT NOT TO IDLE YOURSELVES, THEN ASK YOUR NEIGHBOURS TO JOIN IN TO STOP THE WORST IDLING PROBLEM...DRIVEWAY IDLING.

Remember when you could step outside to enjoy the fresh air and take a walk listening to the birds. In many neighbourhoods the noise and air pollution from idling cars can ruin a leisurely stroll or even aggravate asthma attacks

The best solution is to talk to your neighbours and try to get everyone to agree to promise to omit unnecessary idling in their driveways. It is a common courtesy and common sense and its the right thing to do for the kids who are walking to school or playing outside.

After you pledge not to idle yourself, take a half hour and talk to your neighbours, give them a brochure ( download here) and ask everyone to be idle free on your street. It will create a more enjoyable environment to live and breathe and play in. Eventually you will see people more and more people will be on bikes instead of cars. So go ahead...start the movement. Others will join in along the way.

And for the sticklers who are hanging onto excuses...give them a little more time. They will come around too.

• SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT IDLING AND ASK OTHERS TO TAKE THE PLEDGE

DADA has business card pledge cards that YOU can carry in your wallet or pocket. When you see someone who could use the message, you now have an excuse to approach them and to give them the card.
Simply commit to giving out 6 cards a week while out shopping; or to friends and neighbours; or to co-workers; or to members at the gym/yoga class/a meeting/church etc etc. The possibilities are endless...JUST SPREAD THE WORD!

There are many myths and excuses that school bus companies and drivers hold on to. The facts are that buses can turn off and start properly when ready to move, which provides for a more efficient and greener ride for our children. Kids with respiratory illnesses like asthma will complain less about their illnesses as well.

• CITY TRANSIT OUTREACH - MAKE TRANSIT A CLEANER AND GREENER COMMUTE... STOP IDLING AT BUS TERMINALS

Ask the bus drivers not to idle and thank them when they turn off the engines.
Most bus drivers in Europe do this automatically and some communities across Canada are now getting bus drivers to shut down.
Contact your Mayor and Transit managers to show them how much money they can save by not idling. If you are hearing myths and excuses from your city, remind them of their own no-idling by-laws and that they need to 'walk the talk' themselves.

For example: DADA has given the Mayor of Burlington a '1 million minute challenge', showing them that they will save themselves approx $50,000 PER YEAR in fuel costs by not idling their city buses and city fleets. We will let you know their response. It makes sense, saves money, is good for the environment, is 'doable' and
You can contact and issue your own challenge to the city to create an idling by-law of their own; enforce it to make it real; and then show the citizens it can be done by getting their own fleets and buses to shut down in front of everyone to showcase the capabilities.
IMAGINE going from inhaling toxic diesel exhaust at noisy bus stations and suffering stress headaches or asthma complications after your commute...BUT then imagine waiting at a bus terminal with no noise but the chirping birds while you enjoy the fresh air while waiting for your bus and feeling refreshed and good about your clean and green commuting method.

There are many myths and excuses that school bus companies and drivers hold on to. The facts are that buses can turn off and start properly when ready to move, which provides for a more efficient and greener ride for our children. Kids with respiratory illnesses like asthma will complain less about their illnesses as well.

READ MORE>>

What are kids saying about idling and how it affects them.