Page 5 - NBY NEWS March 2020

(successful tattlers get 25 percent of the
fines they call in, which range from $300-
$2,000).
What’s surprising is how much idling
still goes on, given that most modern
Dear EarthTalk: Every day when I pick up engines run better—and warm up faster—
my kids at school, all the parents wait in while in motion. And you won’t cause any
their cars with the engines running. Is all measurable wear-and-tear on your car or
this idling a significant contributor to the truck by turning it off and on instead of
atmosphere’s carbon burden or am I being a idling, given the sturdiness of modern-
worry wart over nothing? day starters and batteries.
— Mary B., Burlington, VT
The non-profit Sustainable America
Idling is indeed a scourge on the launched its #TurnItOff campaign to
environment, given the noxious emissions spread awareness about the need to reduce
coming out of our engines. According to the or eliminate wasteful automotive idling. Who would have thought?
U.S. Department of Energy (DoE), a single The group recommends that if you’re
vehicle dropping off and picking up a kid at pulled out of traffic and going to be
school each day adds three pounds of air waiting for more than 10 seconds, do
pollution to the atmosphere per month from everyone around you and the
idling. The 250 million personal vehicles on environment a favor by turning off your
the road in the U.S. alone generate about 30 engine. (If you have a hybrid or electric
million tons of carbon dioxide every year car —or a newer internal combustion car
just by idling. DoE reports that eliminating with so-called “stop-start” technology—
unnecessary idling by personal vehicles you’re already part of the solution, as
would be equivalent in emissions reductions these vehicles shut themselves off when at
to taking five million vehicles off the road.
a complete stop and then come back to life
when the driver steps on the gas.)
Personal cars are only part of the problem.
About half of the six billion gallons of fuel While preventing automobile idling
we waste on idling each year in the U.S. may be an up-hill battle, the shift to
comes from commercial vehicles. We’ve all hybrid and electric engines is a step in the
seen those delivery trucks with their engines right direction. Maybe one day when all
humming while the driver eats his lunch the vehicles on the road are zero-emission
inside or makes his rounds of deliveries on EVs, idling won’t be an issue anymore.
foot. But this kind of irresponsible behavior But until then, whether you’re a mom at
is actually against the law in 41 U.S. states school pick-up or a delivery driver
(some of these restrictions are in between drops, be responsible and shut it Learn about the new voting experience rolling out in LA County for March
municipalities but not necessarily state- off while you wait. 2020. League of Women Voters of Los Angeles | 3303 Wilshire Boulevard , Suite
wide). The rules vary by jurisdiction. A few 1200, Los Angeles, CA 90010
states have outlawed idling altogether with CONTACTS: DoE’s Idling Reduction for
the majority of others limiting it to five Personal Vehicles, afdc.energy.gov/files/
minutes before fines kick in. March 6th, and Saturday, Animals to Writing! Enjoy
u/publication/
idling_personal_vehicles.pdf; Idling Laws March 7th from 9:30 A.M. to bargain prices on
Environmental activist George Pakenham By State, cdllife.com/2014/idling-laws-
made news last year by collecting some state/; “Idle Threat” Film, 5 P.M. Thousands of gently reference books, classics,
$9,000 in bounty payments for reporting videoproject.com/Idle-Threat.html;
commercial vehicle idling around New York #ITurnItOff, iturnitoff.com. used books have been and textbooks. Browse the
City as part of a new anti-idling ordinance donated in support of our selection of CDs, DVDs,
EarthTalk® is produced by Roddy Scheer community library. Audiobooks as
& Doug Moss for the 501(c)3 nonprofit
SENIOR IN ACTION EarthTalk. See more at https:// Incredible deals well as large
MARTY BUNCH emagazine.com. To donate, visit https:// begin with small coffee table
earthtalk.org. Send questions to: books.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 question@earthtalk.org. paperbacks

‘When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple, from $.50 and We have many
with a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit BOOK SALE most hardbound multi-volume sets
me.’ When it was written, purple was a books for $1.00. and offer an
scandalous color, and people were supposed to Get amazing book deals at
blend in. I love having purple hair, and wearing Children’s books are priced assortment of vintage
purple clothes. It makes me feel young and the Friends of the Encino- at $.25 and up. books. Look carefully;
exciting, not invisible.” Tarzana Library, 18231 W. many of the books are
Learn more at www.martybunch.com
NBY salutes Marty’s indomitable spirit, and Ventura Blvd, Tarzana, These treasures include signed by the author,
encourages our readers to brush up their 91356, 818-343-1983. Two- fiction and non-fiction making them true
computer or smartphone skills by taking a day book sale on Friday, books ranging from collector’s items.
class at your local library or adult school.

March 2020 5