If you’ve ever driven an old car, or remember your parents doing so, you were likely told that you had to let your car “warm up” before driving it. In addition, you may believe that frequent starts and shut downs of your car’s engine drains the battery or wastes fuel. That may be the case if you drive an old classic, but for today’s modern vehicles, this is not longer the case. It’s actually better for your engine, your pocketbook, and the environment to shut your car’s engine off rather than let it idle.
Gasoline is expensive! If you’re stopped waiting to pick the kids up from school or waiting for your friends to join you for an evening out, just shut the engine off. The recommended rule is ten seconds. Seriously! If you’re going to be sitting for more than 10 seconds (not at stoplights or other active driving situations), you’re actually doing your car a favor by shutting it off and restarting it. You’ll save fuel rather than burn it needlessly.
“But my AC won’t run if don’t idle!” Well, roll those windows down and grab a paper fan. Or keep the windows up and put your gloves back on. Either way, a few seconds of sitting in your car without climate controls won’t kill you. It will save you money and prevent unnecessary pollutants from pouring into the atmosphere.
Did you know? Canada, Great Britain, and Japan have engaged in major campaigns to educate drivers of the negative environmental impact of idling. In the US, at least 13 states have created anti-idling laws. Statistics show that by cutting down on unnecessary idling — even eliminating just a mere 5 minutes of daily idling — you can reduce your family’s carbon emissions by 400 to as much as 800 pounds per year.
Americans waste up to 3.8 million gallons of gasoline each year and spew about 40,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the air annually. The pollutants in exhaust pose respiratory problems, exacerbate allergy and asthma symptoms, and contribute to global warming. Wouldn’t you rather breathe easier, protect the planet, and save money? Just turn your engine off, and reap the benefits!
Image via Peter Blanchard
