Portland, Maine moving for No Idling
“It’s better for your health, your pocketbook and the planet to run the engine only when your vehicle is moving.
“All you’re doing with a long warm-up is wasting gas, increasing pollution, raising the temperature of the planet and making yourself 10 minutes late for your … appointment.”
“By one estimate, nearly 2 percent of the nation’s CO2 emissions come from vehicles that are standing stock still.
“Children are particularly sensitive to air pollution because they breathe more rapidly than adults, and their defense mechanisms to pollution are not yet fully developed. Roughly 10 percent of Maine children suffer from asthma, a debilitating condition aggravated by traffic-related pollution.
“Anti-idling legislation and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency incentives have helped reduce idling in commercial trucks. Innovations like auxiliary power units help transport and delivery trucks save fuel and greatly reduce emissions.
“These new technologies help reduce engine wear, lowering maintenance costs and extending the life of the vehicle. Eliminating idling holds a similar benefit for personal vehicles.”