Provided by: Natural Resources Canada

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Idle-Free Zone

• Provided by Natural Resources Canada

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Overview

• Part 1 - Understanding the Issues
• Idling Behaviour
• Idling Emissions and Related impacts
• Idling Myths
• Part 2 Taking Action
• Individuals, businesses, municipalities,
  community organizations, schools
• Part 3 - Summary

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Vehicle Use in Canada

• The transportation sector is responsible for
  27 percent of GHG emissions in Canada
• 19 million light-duty vehicles on the road
• Almost one vehicle for every two Canadians
• More than 300 billion kilometres driven per year
• Poor decisions and bad habits contribute to fuel
  waste

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Why Do Canadians Idle?

• Most common reasons for idling in summer
• and winter
• Doing an errand
• Stopping to talk to an acquaintance or friend
• Using restaurant drive-throughs or stopping for
  take-out food
• Waiting to get gas
• Stopping to use a cellular phone
• Warming up a vehicle
• Waiting for someone

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How Much Do Canadians Idle?

• Eight minutes a day in the peak of winter
• 75 million minutes of idling per day nationally
• Reduced idling in the summer 46 million minutes
  per day

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Why Idling is a Problem

• Unecessary vehicle idling
• Wastes a lot of fuel and money
• Depletes a valuable non-renewable resource
• Needlessly increases GHGs that contribute to
  climate change
• Savings potential of 630 million per year
  nationally

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Impacts of Climate Change

• Increasing levels of GHGs are trapping heat in
  the atmosphere
• Global warming triggers changes in climate
• GHG emissions can magnify the effects of air
  pollution
• Affects air quality and health
• We can all take steps to reduce GHGs

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Impact of Idling on Emissions
Scenario 2
Scenario 1
No Idling
Idling
LEAVE POINT of ORIGIN
Start engine
Start engine
Elevated CACs GHGs
Elevated CACs GHGs
DRIVE to DESTINATION
CACs GHGs
CACs GHGs
WAIT at DESTINATION
No Idling
Idling
Engine idling
Turn engine off
No CACs, No GHGs
CACs GHGs
Start engine
Engine idling
CACs GHGs
Briefly elevated CACs GHGs
DRIVE AWAY
CACs GHGs
CACs GHGs

• No substantial difference in CACs between
  scenarios 1 and 2
• Scenario 1 always generates less GHGs than
  scenario 2

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Dispelling the Myths

• Idling Myth 1 The Engine should be warmed Up
  Before Driving
• In reality
• Excessive idling is not a good way to warm up a
  vehicle
• The best way to warm up an engine is to drive it
• 60 seconds of idling is enough warm-up time

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Dispelling the Myths

• Idling Myth 2 Shutting Off and Restarting Your
  Vehicle is Costly because it is Hard on the
  Starter and Battery
• In reality
• Fuel costs savings offset wear and tear on the
  battery and starter after 60 seconds
• 10-plus seconds of idling uses more fuel than
  restarting the engine

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Available Resources

• Check out the Idle-Free Zone Web site
  www.idling.gc.ca
• Online resources can help you build a campaign
• Facts and figures, ready-to-use graphics, survey
  tools and more
• Find out how other communities are taking action
•  

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Five-Step Action Plan

• Practice the easy Five-Step Action Plan
• 1) Avoid unnecessary idling if parked for more
  than 60 seconds, turn off the engine
• 2) Reduce warm-up idling 60 seconds is enough
  (provided windows are defrosted)
• 3) Use a remote car starter only 60 seconds
  before you leave
• 4) Use a block heater to pre-warm the engine in
  winter
• 5) Become an advocate in your home,
  neighbourhood, school or workplace

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What Individuals Can Do to Take Action

• Get informed visit the Idle-Free Zone at
  www.idling.gc.ca
• Contact municipal and school officials and local
  mall managers
• Recommend an idling campaign to your community
  association

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What Businesses Can Do to Take Action at the
Workplace

• Organize a workplace idle-free campaign
• Create idle-free zones in drop-off/pick-up
  spots and loading docks
• Implement in-house practices and policies to
  reduce idling
• See what other businesses are doing
  fleetsmart.gc.ca
• Support local initiatives

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What Municipal Governments Can Do to Take Action

• Familiarize yourself with the issues
• Research what is being done elsewhere
• Investigate the scope of the problem - idling
  hot spots
• Look at your operations adopt best practices
• Consider a mix of initiatives (outreach, by-laws)
• Partner with others
• Use free on-line resources to build a campaign

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What Community Groups Can Do to Take Action

• Collaborate with municipalities and others to
  reduce idling
• Gather the facts by surveying and monitoring
• Organize events
• Launch community awareness and public outreach
  campaigns

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What Schools Can Do to Take Action

• Remember the rule No Idling at School!
• Ask for a commitment
• Create a No Idling Zone
• Monitor results
• Make it part of the curriculum
• Learn more and visit The Idle Free Zone section
  for Schools

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Summary

• Unnecessary Idling
• Wastes fuel and money
• Depletes a non-renewable resource
• Contributes to climate change
• Progress is being made but more action is
  required
• Individual actions make a difference

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For More Information

• Visit the Idle Free Zone Web site at
  www.idling.gc.ca
• Insert your own Web address
• Insert Image of Choice or Logo