Take Action! | Sustainability | SIU

Hello Saluki Green Action Team - SGATs!  

Last week was a hot one! We hope you were able to stay cool and comfortable while using some of our sustainable summertime tips! This week we bring you another classic summer situation: You pull up to your favorite place for a large ice-cold beverage during your lunch break; you have the option of parking and walking in or waiting in the drive-thru line. Which choice is the more sustainable one? 

Did you know? Every day Americans waste approximately 3.8 million gallons of fuel used on idling cars?  

Take Action: When picking up take-out food, park your car and walk in; that is the sustainable choice! 

You will save money! If you are idling for more than 10 seconds, you would save fuel by turning off your car.  Restarting your vehicle does not result in significant fuel loss. 

Not only would you save fuel, but you will help make the air cleaner for all of us! Many cities and states have started idling education projects due to the link between higher rates of asthma in children and exposure to car exhaust. A lot of states have laws regulating when you can idle your car. And according to a British study in Atmospheric Environment, 25% of the air pollutants we inhale on our daily commute happen at intersections and areas where cars are idle. 

The environment will also thank you for turning off your car. For every 10 minutes you don't idle, you will save one pound of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, from entering the atmosphere!   

Sources: 
Read about a no idling education project organized by the city of Deerfield, Illinois here. 
From the University of California newsletter Berkeley Wellness: Pollution Inside Your Car. 
Learn more about the issue and take the Pledge to turn it off here. 
Dig deep into each state's idling laws according to the EPA here. 

PS: Don't forget to bring in your reusable cup when you get that refreshing drink!

Win a Prize: Share our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram posts for a chance to win this month's prize!  

Invite your friends to join the team, too. If they mention that you referred them when they sign up, you'll receive an extra entry in our next prize drawing. 

Keep up the great work,  
Saluki Green Action Team 
greenaction@siu.edu