No Idle Zone
A friend and I were just discussing how to (or whether to) approach someone who’s polluting or being wasteful. She saw someone idling outside Starbucks for a full 30 minutes the other day, and that’s one of our big pet peeves.
The next day we happened upon the Improving Kids’ Environment booth at the Earth Day Festival in Indianapolis. Neither of us have kids, but the Idle Free Zone signs got our attention.
You can visit IKE’s Web site for details on Great Reasons Not To Idle, including:
· Idling 10 minutes a day can use up to $180 in gas each year.
· Air pollution caused by idling can trigger asthma attacks and other respiratory problems. Idling for more than 30 seconds emits more pollution than turning off and turning on the car.
· You make your vehicle less of a target for thieves.
· Idling isn’t good for your engine.
· You won’t be wasting a nonrenewable resource.
So what about you? If you see someone littering or idling or doing something else that’s bad for the environment, would you say anything?
Posted in groups: Green
I stopped by the IKE booth at the Earth Day Festival and thought I’d pass on what the woman at the booth advised me to do. I explained how I’m usually too shy or nervous to point out to someone that their idling is harmful (or afraid they’ll react rudely), and she told me just to say, “You know, I just learned….” and then pick whichever reason for not idling you like best. Works for me!
BethByChocolate : RE: No Idle Zone More..
That’s great advice — and probably the best approach right now would be to mention the money savings!
GreenLantern : RE: No Idle Zone More..
Although realistically, be prepared for a bad response from the offender.
MiniDriver : RE: No Idle Zone More..
To agree with Mr. Lantern but a bit more constructively: Walking up to people and pointing out their environmental/moral/ethical/etc. flaws does tend to put up a wall, unless you happen upon a really easy-going person. To many Hoosiers, green is a dirty word — so we have a long way to go.
You might not be able to stop that person’s foul emissions, but you can make a point of trying to stop the next person from doing the same — pay it reverse instead of forward. Some ideas to start with:
- See one person emitting/littering/wasting, tell two+ friends or relatives easy ways they can avoid doing the same.
- Or find yet another way YOU can be greener to make up some of the difference.
- Maybe there’s a source for green-friendly slogan T-shirts so you can promote green awareness in your circle of influence.
- Or maybe some bumper stickers?
- Add a green tip to your e-mail (tree-mail) signature.
- Get involved with an environmental organization and and take a friend along. I found a spot on Keep Indianapolis Beautiful’s site with some ideas of where to start: http://kibi.org/programs/index.htm
- Keep in mind: Kids are really good to talk to about being green. They seem to really pick up on green habits and are quick to police their parents’ recycling hits and misses.
That’s a great idea! Approach strangers and tell them how they could be living better. As long as you’re talking to the person, you might as well give the person a few tips on how to be a better parent.
BethByChocolate : RE: No Idle Zone More..
Wow. I wouldn’t be offended if someone approached me in a friendly way and gave me a POSITIVE tip on how to save money. I am put off by how many people respond negatively online. Too bad there’s not a way to recycle that kind of energy.
Just reproduce the following “Power Down” card and put it under their windshield!
POWER DOWN, Indy!The conservation group POWER DOWN, INDY!
(PDI) seeks to help people learn how to
reduce wasteful, “fuelish” practices. This
card urges you to abate a wasteful practice
such as unnecessary night lighting, vehicle idling,
driving a gas-hog, or other consumptive behaviors.
With global oil and gas depletion on the near horizon,
civilization and our city will need to adapt.
You won’t hear about this looming threat from the
commercial media, the Chamber, or the Mayor.
Citizens need to get informed and take individual action.
Act now to conserve dwindling oil and natural gas
reserves. For further info, go to www.peakoil.net
and www.aspo.org. and read The Party’s Over and
Power Down by Richard Heinberg and related reports.
Also, call or write the Mayor’s and Council’s offices to urge
our growth-obsessed leaders to plan for The End of Oil.
~~~~~~~~
“Anyone who believes exponential growth can go on forever
is either a madman or an economist.” Kenneth Boulding
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