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Stop The Idle Threat Featured on Mar 17, 2008

Challenge

Don't just sit there! If you drive, avoid idle time. Turn off your car whenever possible.

Individual Result

Eliminating 5 minutes of engine idle time per day for one month will reduce your CO2 emissions by 27 lbs.

Rally Impact

3481 people have reduced CO2 emissions by 46.41 tons by completing this challenge so far. That's equal to turning off the electricity of 35 homes for about 1 month!

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Challenge Details

We’re not ashamed to admit that some of us at Rally Control have… Prius envy. We would all love to own and drive a hybrid. Some already do, of course. And they’ve been very willing to take us for a spin. Getting into the car, we already knew about the advantages to driving a hybrid. What we weren’t prepared for, however, was the feeling of contentment we got when the car pulled up to a stoplight. Silence. There was a peaceful, Zen-like silence in which we could hear ourselves breathe and think “Why can’t my car be quiet when it’s sitting still?” It can if we turn it off.

This Featured Challenge was suggested by Lisa, leader of the Green Goddesses team. To date, Lisa’s suggestion has received 8 positive votes in our Challenge Workshop.

The Carbon Connection
You may ask, “Is idling my car that big of a problem?” You be the judge. On average, each American car is idled 5 to 10 minutes per day. It is estimated that those cars idle enough each day to burn an additional 3.8 million gallons of gasoline. That’s right — 3.8 million gallons each day. That means that useless idling is responsible for Americans releasing an extra 40,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere each day or 13 million tons of CO2 per year.

There are other environmental implications of idling a car. For instance, the catalytic converter in the exhaust system only works efficiently at very high temperatures. The catalytic converter doesn’t reach those temperatures unless and until the car is driven. Starting your cold car and letting it warm up in the driveway means that the exhaust system is spewing toxic emissions into the air that would have otherwise been neutralized by the catalytic converter.

Getting It Done
The biggest hurdle in meeting this Challenge is to forget what you might have heard about your car. Today’s cars have electronic ignitions and more efficient batteries. Turning your car off and restarting it does not cause the wear-and-tear on your starter that it once did. Repeated starting and stopping won’t drain your battery. And, while restarting your car may momentarily use more gasoline than engine would have used if left running, it is a tiny difference. In fact, the rule of thumb is that if you going to idle your car for longer than 10 seconds, it’s more efficient to turn the car off and restart it later.

With spring almost here and March Madness already underway, you may be tempted to put winter out of your mind. But winter weather is often one of the biggest reasons people give for idling their cars. Let’s start with some ways you can reduce your idling time when the weather outside is frightful:

  • Remember, the best way to warm up your car is to drive your car. Click and Clack from radio’s Car Talk say that “cars these days don’t need to be warmed up. Except in below-zero conditions, you can just start the engine and drive off.”
  • Maybe you aren’t as worried about the car as you are about your own comfort. If it’s winter, you may be tempted to idle your car so that the heater has enough time to warm up the inside of the car before you get inside and drive away. The heater works when the car’s engine is warmed up and the best way to warm up your car is to drive your car. Just remember to dress warm for those first two miles you drive before the heater kicks in.
  • Finally, letting your car run for 15 minutes just so you don’t have to scrape the frost off your windshield is not a good use of gasoline. Get a good ice scraper and leave the car turned off until you’re ready to go.

Here are other suggestions to help you meet this Challenge, no matter what the weather:

  • Think about where you tend to idle your car. Do you keep the car running when your boyfriend runs into the grocery for a gallon of milk? Do you sit in the car and keep it running when you pick the kids up from school? Do you leave it on while you sit in line waiting for a ferry? If you’re going to be sitting still for longer than a minute, turn the car off and restart it when you need to go.
  • Let’s assume you pull over to the side of the road to take an important call on your cell phone or have a long overdue heart-to-heart with your teenager. Don’t idle the car. Turn it off.
  • Stuck in traffic? Gridlock got you locked in place? You’re not going anywhere. So turn off your engine and enjoy the moment of peace.
  • Make friends with the Accessories position on your car’s ignition switch. You can still listen to the radio when the car’s engine isn’t running. The amount the radio will drain your battery is miniscule. In fact, the Accessories setting is purposely set up to only allow you to use electrical car components that don’t use too much power (i.e., it won’t let you use the power windows).

Can you think of anything we haven’t? If so, please share your thoughts and suggestions with your fellow Rallyers in the Challenge forum section below.

Rules of the Challenge
This Challenge asks you reduce the amount of time you idle your car by 5 minutes per day for one month. By eliminating an average of 5 minutes of idling time each day for 30 days, you will reduce your CO2 emissions by 27 lbs for the month. This Challenge is repeatable.

Learn More
To read more about the environmental impacts of idling cars, we would like to recommend that you read the Anti-Idling Primer from the Hinkle Charitable Foundation. We found it a very valuable resource in writing this Challenge. In addition, you might also read:

Myths about car idling (California Energy Commission)
Kicking the Idling Habit

See the Math
Here’s how we’re doing our carbon calculations:

  • The Challenge is based on reducing your daily idle timer by 5 minutes.
  • Idling a 4-cylinder car for 5 minutes burns approximately 4 ounces of gasoline. Idling an 8-cylinder car for 5 minutes burns about 8 ounces of gasoline. We’ll split the difference and say that idling an average car burns 6 ounces of gasoline for every 5 minutes.
  • There are 128 fluid ounces in a gallon.
  • Burning 1 gallon of gasoline in a car or truck engine releases 19.4 lbs of CO2 (and other assorted nasties) into Earth’s atmosphere.

Now put all that together to get the following equation:
Equation

The duration of the Challenge is one month or 30 days. A savings of 0.9 lbs of CO2 per day for 30 days equals a savings of 27 lbs CO2 for the month.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “That man is idle who can do something better.” Well, Emerson didn’t mean “idling,” but you get the point by now. You can be doing something better than idling your car. Give it a try.

Discussion 31 comments so far

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shortfuse over 2 years ago
I am going to make some renewable resources using CO2. I am going to create jobs for people like the world has never seen,it will put Obama's job creation to shame. This resource will warm mankind,protect him,feed,shelter him. Man will be able even use it as a all purpose product. The only requirement is that this resource must have CO2. Anyone have an idea what my creation maybe?
samrobertson almost 3 years ago
this isnt true because it is more efficient to leave certain cars running for very short amounts of time than to restart the engine. I know for a fact that it is a fifteen minute efficiency rate on my ford taurus. I'm suprised this group forgot about the gasoline emmsions when starting an engine, theyre much higher than you can imagine. A car sitting in idle uses barely any immisions, especially without radio or heat on.
ThosePoggies over 3 years ago
We tend to accidentally get into intense conversation while en route to various destinations, which sometimes leads to us sitting in an idling car while we finish our talk. USUALLY we remember to turn it off, but now we've been called out and have no excuse to forget!
Laferriere over 3 years ago
I always had the problem running the engine warm up the interior of my vehicle not no more
tclayton_85239 over 3 years ago
this one is going to be easy for me... I have a hybird, just have to roll window down at the stops and I can keep it on economy, so the air conditioner doesn't keep the car in idle....
canyongreengal over 3 years ago
Right on - In VA idling in school drop-offs and pick up zones is now illegal so at least their kids can breathe easy. However, I live in the Panhandle of TX and gigantic trucks and SUV's are the rule...and do they ever favor diesel in these parts! Since May we have shunned any sort of drive-thru, even shut off the car at long red lights (our town is small, we know which one is long and which is short) but sadly we are so the minority. We are addressing the idling issue in the school pick-up lane...and great ideas out there or tips to present it to admin/parents?
birdman (Carbonrally) over 3 years ago
Staci, I used to think that re-starting the car burned more fuel. But from the research I read in this challenge, that logic only applies to older cars. I'm going with the 10-second-rule too.
Staci_Green_Peacex3 over 3 years ago
I turn off the car if I know I'm going to be idling for more than 10 seconds. Isn't there the agurement that it use more gas to start the car than to idle?
Jae27 over 3 years ago
Cutting out drive-thru windows is also healthier for you, too! Makes you get out and walk for a bit. This is a good challenge.
dragongoddess over 3 years ago
I'm always turning off my car to avoid idling. My boyfriend and mother have a bit of a habit of leaving the car on, but I turn it off and take out the keys.
musegirl09 over 3 years ago
i'm not fortunate enough to afford a hybrid car, but i do always turn off my car when im just sitting somewhere in traffic, or at drive thru or drive in. my mom keeps telling me i burn more gas turning my car on and off like that, but what's a little bit of wasted gas when it helps even just the smallest bit to reducing pollution?
Gonna_be_here_awhile over 3 years ago
AMEN to a lot of these comments. While some of us are turning our cars off when we are sitting in massive lines like the Costco gas line (and, understandably these days since gas prices are so high and Costco's prices are probably close to, if not, the best), there are so many others who don't. Or there are the lazy few who won't get out of their cars to go inside and get their food (which is, sometimes, faster). In fact, when I was carpooling with my dad the other day and we had to make a couple of stops, he asked if I wanted the car left on because it was so hot and I told him, 'nah - I won't suffocate in here for those few minutes.' When people are lazy, selfish, don't care or don't even think about it, it is very irritating and I have let a few people know, nicely of course, to shut their cars off while they are just sitting around.
anna_dawn_grady_28655 over 3 years ago
OK, I have chosen another easy one for myself, because this is soemthing I already do, used to be to save on gas for myself, now it has evolved into a good way to help the planet as well, so it went from being selfish and to save money to being a good idea for the rest of the world. I cut my car off wherever I idle, except ofcourse for stoplights. Nothing gets under my skin more than seeing a freshly washed and waxed Hummer idling at a drive-through while my little 28mpg Cavalier is cut off. Makes me wanna throw a rock at them. Ok, bad idea, just sayin.
PeopleRipple over 3 years ago
Our company allows us to be more flexible with when we go to work. By driving before or after rush hour periods, we reduce commute time and avoid the aggravation of being stuck in traffic. We also have committed to driving at least 5 miles per hour less on average, and even slower on surface streets. So far, it's been working out great.
hassi over 3 years ago
We recently traded for a new Toyonda Pious ;-)...We have an ICE 2nd car that is driven as though its a hybrid (killing the engine while coasting to and at stops). The vehicles we traded were also driven in a similar, hybrid-like manner. The interesting thing about accelerating slowly, coasting (with the engine off) and no engine running at stops our in-town mileage went from 24-25 MPG to a steady 32 MPG. I was truly surprised at the significant increase in mileage (and no doubt, subsequent carbon savings). Its a very simple thing to do. BTW: Hat's off to the school-line no-idlers. WW
ELLa over 3 years ago
who is wunderbahh??? ure pic is really funny!!
canyongreengal over 3 years ago
Here in the TX panhandle we are surrounded by HUGE trucks and SUV's and have become acutely aware of all the idling done by said vehicles. I wonder on a daily basis how and why they don't shut off their vehicles while waiting in lines. We have encouraged others to join us in our effort, and will be heading the Green Initiative through our local PTA beginning next fall. If you are active in your local PTA, check your state PTA's website for the Green Initiative. Turning off cars while waiting in drop-off/pick-up lines will be one of the first thing we address. The kids already seem keen to reduce their carbon footprint however they can, and it tickles me to hear them remind their parents to be mindful of energy use. Out of the mouth of babes, I guess it is true.
shhnfmly_02053 over 3 years ago
I LIKE THE ENVIRONMENT! GO GREEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
momtocikids over 3 years ago
Schools around here all have carpool lines rather than buses and they are all full of idling cars, gradually pulling forward but not going anywhere fast. It is pretty annoying to be a part of it. They don't allow you to park and go get your child. If you arrive before they start bringing kids out, you can turn your car off, but otherwise you have to keep pulling a few yards forward...
alaskanurse over 3 years ago
Easy for me. I almost always have a dog in the car with me and I worry if I leave my car idling, the dog might accidentally put the car out of Park. Alaskans are really bad with the idling. In the winter, often we leave the car running at almost every place we go where we will only be a minute, so the car doesn't get cold. I never idled my car this winter because I didn't want to burn the gas, but did I freeze a lot.
michele.bechard over 3 years ago
i ride my bike everywhere, only using my car about once a month for a big grocery trip or to visit out of town friends. this is an easy one for me, as i love biking-- free exercise and it's just as fast as a car when traffic is bad!
Andrew N. over 3 years ago
I have a really old Ford which is by definition, unreliable. I worry that if I turn the car off while I'm in a traffic situation I could be left dead in the water with no brakes or steering. Coasting with the engine off and power anything seems kind of dangerous to me. Does anyone else feel a little uncomfortable with this?
Karbonium almost 4 years ago
I have been an "Idler" for years. It does make a difference and a lot of sense (considering those long "idle" situations caught in traffic).
fiercegrl95 almost 4 years ago
I think this is a great challenge. My school is actually running a great "No Idling Campaign" led by one of the teachers, Mrs. Cooperman. Students volunteer to stay after school to hand out bookmarks, flyers, and hold up posters encouraging parents to stop idling. It's a lot of fun and it helps the environment. It's a great idea!
Stan almost 4 years ago
So, last week I was riding in a friends car. He got out of the car with the engine running, so I reached over, turned off the engine and pulled out the keys. I was not sure on the etiquette on that one - is turning off someone else's car rude? When he got back in the car, I did not say anything - I do not think he even noticed. Then, this morning my wife got out of her car with the engine running and our son (now alone in the car) reached into the front seat and turned off the engine. It is amazing how much our kids are listening to us and learning by our example! I have been surprised by how much this challenge really does have an effect and how aware I have become of other people idling.
loungelizard almost 4 years ago
Turn it off, turn it off, turn it off. Thats a start (or, rather, a non-starter) but think of it, with a manual shift, you can put it neutral and coast down hills...at idle, RPMs are lower than in gear...just don't recommend killing the engine though on those steep ones. Heck, turn it off and leave it off, and go get on the public transpo... ITS ALL GOOD.
CrazyCatLady almost 4 years ago
No more "warming" up the car in the morning. I'm sold on No More Idling! Thanks Lisa for creating this challenge.
Lisa almost 4 years ago
We are also beginning a program at our school pick-up line. I do think that most people are unaware of idling's negative effects, and how much of a difference they can make by turning their cars off for even a few minutes a day. A friend stuck a little sticky-note on her dashboard reminding her to turn her car off til it became habit. :)
wunderbaah almost 4 years ago
Good for you AirQ KC! I've been reading a ton on individual ways to reduce carbon and not idling the car seems to be one of the very easiest things you can do! The place I noticed myself idling the most is at the school waiting to pick up my kids from various activities. I've stopped - shut the car off to wait - but didn't even think of making it a school wide initiative. I'm going to talk to the school and see who else I can get to shut off their cars!
AirQ KC almost 4 years ago
The Kansas City team has been working with school districts to reduce idling in the after-school pick up lane. It was actually a local Girl Scout troop that got the program started. They noticed that some parents were idling for up to 30 minutes before the last bell rang, and started a campaign to ask the parents to turn off their engines. Needless to say, it was difficult for the parents to refuse! We're supplying permanent aluminum signs and toolkits to Kansas City region schools to support their idle-reduction programs, and we're happy to say that supply has not been keeping up with demand!
Joanie almost 4 years ago
No more drive up windows for me. I do usually turn my car off if I'm stuck and not going anywhere for awhile. I did so just yesterday. I was in a huge line at Costco for gas. I turned the car off and coasted as the car ahead of me moved. The sad thing is that out of probably 20 cars, I was the only one to turn mine off.