No Idling Please! Turn Off Your Engine

No Idling Primer Please Turn Off Your Engine

According to information from the NH Dept of Environmental Services millions of vehicles idle needlessly dropping off or picking up passengers, making deliveries, or waiting in drive-thru lanes. This wastes money, causes air pollution (smog, haze, & acid rain), affects climate change, & possibly damages engine parts.

FACTS

• Today’s fuel-injected engines don’t need to be warmed up beyond 30 seconds on a cold day. The car warms up more quickly once it is operating.
• Frequent restarting does not use more gas. Letting the vehicle engine idle for more than approximately 10 seconds uses more gas than shutting it off & restarting.
• Frequent restarting will not harm the vehicle.
• When the vehicle idles it gets zero miles per gallon & it is not operating at peak temperature. The incomplete combustion causes fuel residue to condense on engine parts like spark plugs & can contaminate oil. Idling also allows water to condense in the exhaust system, which can cause rust. So, idling is not good for the vehicle.
• Emissions from idling vehicles create smog & ground level ozone that have a direct impact on our health. These unhealthy emissions may be life threatening to people with cardiovascular & respiratory illnesses like asthma.
• Carbon dioxide is a large part of vehicle emissions & this greenhouse gas has been documented as a component related to climate change.

Please turn your engine off unless absolutely necessary. ♻