Transcript Please Stop Idling - Waste

Idle Free: You and Me
Education About Unnecessary
Idling of Your Car
Overview
This presentation will:
Answer questions about idling
Address common misconceptions about
car idling
Tell you what you can do about idling
But first a quiz…
Isn’t it better to leave the car
running than turning it off and on?
No!
Idling for more than 10 seconds uses more fuel
than restarting the engine.
Frequent restarting has little impact on battery
and starter.
Catalytic converters stay warm for 25+ minutes frequent stops and starts not as harmful as cold
starts.
Is it important to idle for a few minutes to
warm up the engine‚ especially in winter?
No!
Idling is wasteful and damages the environment.
Tests show no more than 30 seconds needed to
circulate engine oil.
Warming up the vehicle means more than
warming the engine.
Catalytic converter doesn’t function at peak until
reaches between 400°C and 800°C.
Best way to warm up your vehicle is to drive it.
Isn’t idling good for a vehicle?
No!
Idling can damage engines.
Engine isn’t at peak operating temperature.
Fuel doesn’t undergo complete combustion.
Idling leaves fuel residues that can contaminate
engine oil and damage engine parts.
Excessive idling can allow water to condense in
vehicle’s exhaust.
Don’t catalytic converters make
exhaust from cars harmless?
No!
CO2 and N2O contribute to global climate change.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a product of combustion.
Catalytic converters rearrange the nitrogen-oxygen compounds to
form nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas.
Catalytic Converters are designed to reduce regulated
pollutants.
Carbon monoxide (CO)
Hydrocarbons or volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
Catalytic converters only work at high temperatures.
When cars are started cold, it minimally reduces pollution.
When do people idle?
School drop-off and pick-up
Waiting for someone
Winter to warm up vehicle or stay warm
Summer to stay cool
Drive-thru windows
Gas stations
Using automatic vehicle starters
Force of habit
Why stop idling?
Health benefits
Breathing polluted air causes asthma, lung
problems and allergies.
Small children walk right by the car exhaust pipes.
Kids breathe at a faster rate than adults, so they
breathe more polluted air.
Reduce CO2 that leads to climate change
Save fuel – 1/10 gallon per 20 minutes
Save money – 90¢ per hour @ $3.00/gallon
Reduce air pollution
What can I do?
If you’re going to be stopped for more
than 10 seconds‚ turn off your car
Minimize warm-up idling to 30 seconds
Use remote car starters wisely to keep
to 30 seconds
Educate others about idling
Where can I get more information?
Natural Resources Canada, Office of Energy
Efficiency, Idle Free Zone http://idling.gc.ca