Idling Gets You Nowhere
Now that cold weather has finally hit Calgary (climate change, anyone?) it's time to remember that idling your vehicle gets you nowhere! Not only does idling harm the environment by releasing carbon dioxide emissions and contributing to air pollution, it eats up gasoline while you car is just sitting there. Not very fuel efficient! There are so many myths out there about whether you need to idle in cold weather for the health of the vehicle. Test your knowledge with this short quiz (click on intro to begin).
As you can see from the quiz, any time you will be stopped for 10 seconds or longer (except at a red light!), it is a good practice to turn off your vehicle. My personal pet peeve is people who run their engines the entire time they are in the car wash line up! Each car wash takes five to seven minutes and you only need to move forward a few metres each time the line advances. Furthermore, the poor person behind you is stuck inhaling all those harmful exhaust fumes.
In winter conditions, emissions from an idling vehicle are more than double the normal level immediately after a cold start. Driving a vehicle cuts idle warm-up times in half. That means reduced fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. With the fuel money saved by reducing your idling, invest in a timer for your block heater. It only needs to be plugged in for 2-4 hours before starting the vehicle to be effective. Recent studies suggest that in the peak of winter, Canadians voluntarily idle their vehicles for a combined total of more than 75 million minutes a day - equivalent to one vehicle idling for 144 years.
Many people argue that they are just trying to warm up the vehicle or keep it warm on a wintry day. Too many people take a warm vehicle for granted and do not dress properly for the weather. What if the vehicle broke down or got stuck? Proper boots, hats, mitts, scarves and winter coats should be worn whenever stepping out in sub-zero temperatures, no matter what your mode of transport. More tips on winter road safety are available at AMA.
For more valuable information on how to maximize your vehicle's efficiency and reduce its emissions, visit the national office of energy efficiency website.