No-idle initiative

Reduce air pollution from transportation! Turn your vehicle off while you wait!

Idling engines produce thousands of tons of unnecessary air pollution each year.

Consider this:

  • Idling wastes fuel and money. In fact, most people waste 1-2 tanks of gas each year from idling.
  • Every gallon of gas wasted produces over 20 pounds of air pollution.
  • Two minutes of idling uses the same amount of fuel as driving one mile.
  • Idling vehicles emit 20 times more pollution than a car traveling 30 miles per hour.
  • Much of the pollution emitted includes air toxics which are known to cause cancer, birth defects, respiratory and reproductive effects and other serious health concerns.
  • Exposure to car exhaust can increase asthma symptoms, and also cause nasal, throat, respirator, eye and other health problems.

In an effort to curb the amount of vehicle idling in the metro region, The Clean Air Partnership has developed its “Turn Your Key, Be Idle-Free” campaign. It is designed to help encourage area businesses, schools, governmental entities and other organizations to implement No Idling Policies and post No Idling signs, demonstrating their commitment to helping our community Be Idle-Free. We also provide bookmarks and rack cards, customized with your logo and information at no charge. You are encouraged to display these items for informational purposes.

Getting involved

The Clean Air Partnership provides free no-idling signs as part of the “Turn Your Key, Be Idle-Free” campaign. All you have to do is contact us to request one or more of these signs.  No idle sign by school building

 

If you represent a business, government entity or other organization, we ask that you make a pledge to place the signs in your parking lot, passenger drop-off lanes, delivery area or another relevant location.  Click here to make the pledge!

If you represent a school, we ask that you place the signs in the parking lot, near bus and carpool lanes, delivery areas, or anywhere else on campus where idling is a problem.  Click here to make the pledge!

When you call to request your sign, we will also discuss how you can design and implement a No Idling policy at your location.  Click here to download a sample policy for a business or school.

How to contact us

To request your sign, or to learn more about the “Turn Your Key, Be Idle-Free” campaign, contact Susannah Fuchs of the Clean Air Partnership at 314.449.9149, or via email at Susannah.Fuchs@lung.org.

Working together, we can help eliminate unnecessary idling in the St. Louis area and help the region breathe easier!