No - Idling Program Directions

Transcription

1 No - Idling Program Directions Thank you for registering to participate in the No-Idling Program. To complete this program, please follow the 3 easy steps below. Refer to the No-Idling Case Studies and F.A.Q. s (located on our website: /Kids-Schools) for creative ideas on how to expand your program and get your community involved. Step One: Complete and submit a baseline survey. Establish your No-Idling team to help collect data and educate your school community. Consider getting students involved! Schedule and complete a baseline survey of idling cars and school buses using the survey form and clickers provided. Surveys must be taken over one week. (Schools@) or fax ( ) results to The Clean Air Campaign, ATTN: Clean Air Schools. Step Two: Announce your program and get the word out! (Note: You will receive a No-Idling toolkit with signs and educational materials within 2 weeks of completing and submitting your baseline survey.) Post signage. Send out news blasts and post articles on your school s website and newsletter. (Example templates can be found in your toolkit.) Distribute No-Idling fliers, found in your toolkit, to parents and bus drivers to educate them about the impacts of idling. Encourage teachers to incorporate No-Idling lesson plans into the curriculum (found at /Kids-Schools.) Step Three: Complete a follow-up survey of cars and school buses and educate drivers. Schedule and complete a follow-up survey a minimum of 2-3 weeks after signs are posted. This will give you and your team time to educate your community. Surveys must be taken over one week. (Schools@) or fax ( ) results to The Clean Air Campaign, ATTN: Clean Air Schools. Share the results of your No-Idling Program! Let your school know the % reduction in idling in your school zone as a result of their actions. Continue to educate and encourage no idling throughout the rest of the school year. Your school must complete and return both surveys in order to complete program requirements and become a Clean Air School for the academic year. Questions? Call us at or at Schools@ The Clean Air Campaign is a 501(c)3 Georgia non-profit organization. S/0104/8.10

2 Clean Air Schools No Idling Program Case Studies High Meadows School, Private School in Roswell High Meadow School Clean Air Schools champion Michelle Griffin teaches environmental science. Her fourth and fifth grade students took on the carpool line using the No Idling initiative as part of a lesson on conflict negotiation and persuasive writing during Clean Commute Week. To reach out to the school community regarding the effects of idling vehicles, the students wrote articles, made signs, and even did a little bit of marching. They recognized that the key to their success would be educating the drivers as they entered the campus. They even made it into the local online paper! The Clean Air BAIR surprised the students with a visit when he heard about all of High Meadow s efforts. Keep us posted on what your school is doing! You never know when BAIR will surprise you with a visit! Mary Lin Elementary, Atlanta Public Schools Not only did the students from Ms. Lindsay Wyczalkowski s third grade class at Mary Lin Elementary make posters to support their No Idling campaign, they did a science project to learn more about air pollution. By leaving petroleum jelly on a paper plates around campus for a week, the students were able to use hand-lenses to examine particle pollution from the air that was captured on the plates. They drew what they saw in their science journals and were better able to answer questions about air pollution after this real world experience. They became Mary Lin Elementary s air quality experts! Addison Elementary, Cobb County Schools If there is a way to reach out to your school about the negative effects of idling, then Addison Elementary is doing it. Air Quality is included every day in the weather report on Addison s morning announcements. The PE teacher addressed the student body regarding the impact air pollution has on their health. The art teacher encouraged participation in the Young Lungs at Work art competition. The school PTA handed out fliers to every student. And the science lab teacher instructed every class using the GPS correlated air quality lesson plans from the Clean Air Campaign website. This was definitely a team effort! For more information, visit call us at (678) , or us at Schools@.

3 Frequently Asked Questions No Idling Program 1. What is required to participate in the No Idling Program, and what is the time commitment? This program can be completed in as little as 3-5 hours during the school year and includes: completing two surveys, posting No Idling signs, and educating your school community about transportation s effect on air quality. 2. How many surveys are required, and how long do they last? Participating schools must complete two surveys: a baseline survey to indicate levels of idling before your program starts, and a follow-up survey completed after signs are posted and your educational initiative is complete. These surveys determine idling reduction and pounds of pollution taken out of the air. Each survey lasts one week. 3. When should the surveys be conducted? To get the best count of idling activity at your school, surveys must be conducted during afternoon pick-up. Focus on the cars and buses arriving before the students are released for the day. 4. How long does a car have to be running to be considered idling? Our rule of thumb: Vehicles waiting with their engines running for 10 seconds or longer are considered idling. This is your target audience. If the line is moving, even slowly, the cars are not considered idling. 5. What about cold or hot weather days? Hot and cold days are the perfect time to pass out your No Idling fliers to remind drivers about the risks associated with idling. Be sure to point out not only the effects of vehicle exhaust on health and the environment, but also the fuel and money saved by not idling. 6. How is the information from the surveys used? The results of your surveys help us determine how much pollution has been taken out of Georgia s air as a result of your No Idling program. We share the overall results on our website and in our Clean Air Schools e-newsletter, as well as on promotional materials. We love to celebrate the great actions schools are taking to help clean the air and create a healthier environment. 7. Who participates in the No Idling Program? Your entire school community can get involved in the No Idling program! Consider involving teachers, the school nurse or physical education coaches, parents and students. Individual students or classes and clubs can take the lead on the program using our student involvement tools. Contact us to find out more! 8. After we ve completed the survey, what else is required? Once you have submitted the follow-up survey, you have completed the program for the school year! Your school is an official Clean Air School and will receive an end of year award and be recognized in our e-newsletter and on our website. Consider implementing other Clean Air School initiatives like Clean Commute Week, Air Quality Awareness Week or the Young Lungs Art Competition throughout the year to keep the message fresh. 9. Do I need to re-enroll as a Clean Air School each year? Yes. Please re-enroll via our website: Each year, a school s community changes with new students, parents, and school officials and new opportunities to educate about idling! We ll send new educational materials and collateral to help with your initiative. Consider our other programs to take a comprehensive approach to reducing air pollution on your school campus. 10. What s in it for us? Your No Idling program will help your school community reduce pollution and create a healthier environment for everyone, especially your students. By not idling, each car can keep up to 3 pounds of pollution per month out of the air, helping us all breathe easier! For more information, visit call us at (678) , or us at Schools@.

4 Clean Air Schools- No Idling Program Baseline Survey survey results to: Or fax to: School Name: School Address: *Cars* Week data collected: Note-This survey must be completed during afternoon carpool and prior to announcing your No-Idling program or posting signs. Vehicles waiting with their engines running for 30 seconds or longer are considered idling. Day # cars idling # cars NOT idling Total Cars % of idling cars Monday 0 0.0% Tuesday 0 0.0% Wednesday 0 0.0% Thursday 0 0.0% Friday 0 0.0% Total % Data recorded by: *School Buses* Week data collected: Day # buses idling # buses NOT idling Total Buses % of idling buses** Monday 0 0.0% Tuesday 0 0.0% Wednesday 0 0.0% Thursday 0 0.0% Friday 0 0.0% Total % Data recorded by: Baseline % Idling Vehicles #DIV/0! Note: Upon submission of this data to the Clean Air Campaign, the school will receive No Idling signs and toolkit

5 Clean Air Schools- No Idling Program Follow-up Survey survey results to: Or fax to: School Name: School Address: *Cars* Week data collected: Note-This survey must be completed during afternoon carpool. Vehicles waiting with their engines running for 30 seconds or longer are considered idling. Day # cars idling # cars NOT idling Total Cars % of idling cars Monday 0 0.0% Tuesday 0 0.0% Wednesday 0 0.0% Thursday 0 0.0% Friday 0 0.0% Total % Data recorded by: *School Buses* Week data collected: Day # buses idling # buses NOT idling Total Buses % of idling buses** Monday 0 0.0% Tuesday 0 0.0% Wednesday 0 0.0% Thursday 0 0.0% Friday 0 0.0% Total % Data recorded by: Comments: *Total Idling Reduction* Baseline % Idling Vehicles % Follow-up % Idling Vehicles #DIV/0! Total % Decrease of Idling Vehicles #VALUE!

6 I m helping young lungs breathe easier I support the school s No-Idling Zone I turn off my engine to reduce idling I m helping young lungs breathe easier I support the school s No-Idling Zone I turn off my engine to reduce idling Parent / Driver Signature Parent / Driver Signature I m helping young lungs breathe easier I support the school s No-Idling Zone I turn off my engine to reduce idling I m helping young lungs breathe easier I support the school s No-Idling Zone I turn off my engine to reduce idling Parent / Driver Signature Parent / Driver Signature

7 Be a Clean Air Driver: Don t Idle Breathe Easier Not idling reduces car exhaust and decreases your child s exposure to unhealthy vehicle emissions. Save Money Turning off the engine and restarting it uses less gas than letting it idle for more than 30 seconds. Do Your Share for the Air Remembering to turn off your engine while waiting for your child is the right thing to do. Be a Clean Air Driver: Don t Idle Breathe Easier Not idling reduces car exhaust and decreases your child s exposure to unhealthy vehicle emissions. Save Money Turning off the engine and restarting it uses less gas than letting it idle for more than 30 seconds. Do Your Share for the Air Remembering to turn off your engine while waiting for your child is the right thing to do. Be a Clean Air Driver: Don t Idle Breathe Easier Not idling reduces car exhaust and decreases your child s exposure to unhealthy vehicle emissions. Save Money Turning off the engine and restarting it uses less gas than letting it idle for more than 30 seconds. Do Your Share for the Air Remembering to turn off your engine while waiting for your child is the right thing to do. Be a Clean Air Driver: Don t Idle Breathe Easier Not idling reduces car exhaust and decreases your child s exposure to unhealthy vehicle emissions. Save Money Turning off the engine and restarting it uses less gas than letting it idle for more than 30 seconds. Do Your Share for the Air Remembering to turn off your engine while waiting for your child is the right thing to do.

8 No-Idling Program Newsletter Article and Template Below you will find a sample newsletter article and sample for use in promoting your school s no-idling efforts. Each has placeholders for your school s name and other information. Please use these in your newsletters, on your Web site or in other communication vehicles. Both documents can be found at: Schools/The-Clean-Air-Schools-Program/Program-Components/No-Idling- Program Newsletter article template Help Our Young Lungs Breathe Easier This (FALL/SPRING/YEAR), (INSERT SCHOOL NAME) is launching a no-idling campaign to protect the health of our students and the health of our environment. In addition to restricting idling on school grounds by school buses, we are also asking parents to adopt a no-idling policy for personal vehicles. Soon, cars that are in the carpool lanes for morning drop-off or afternoon pick-up will be greeted with our new no-idling signs: No Idling Young Lungs at Work. The No-Idling Zone is part of (INSERT SCHOOL NAME) s Clean Air Schools program, in partnership with The Clean Air Campaign. Why should you support the no-idling effort? Idling harms our health Vehicle exhaust is harmful to everyone s health, but it especially affects children who breathe more and at a faster rate than adults. By turning off your car, our students, teachers and parents won t breathe in unhealthy fumes as they enter school. Idling pollutes the air we breathe Vehicle idling creates unnecessary pollution. By not idling, you reduce car exhaust and prevent up to 3 pounds of pollution per month from going into the air. Air Pollution Hits Home Georgia has a higher than average rate of childhood asthma: 11% compared to 5-7% nationally Asthma is the most common chronic illness in children and the cause of most school absences Children s asthma symptoms increase from exposure to car exhaust Children breathe, on average, 50% more air per pound of body weight than adults Children are closer to the ground and therefore, closer to the tailpipes Idling costs you money A popular misconception is that idling your car uses less gas than turning it off and restarting. The truth is, if you are going to be sitting more than 30 seconds, it

9 is more fuel efficient to turn your engine off. Idling also causes more wear and tear on engine parts. Please support (INSERT SCHOOL NAME) s No-Idling Zone and turn your car off while waiting to pick up your child(ren). Then we can all breathe easier. To learn more about air pollution, its effects and what you can do, visit. No-Idling Program template TO: (NAME or Parents and Teachers at SCHOOL NAME ) SUBJECT: No-Idling Zone Takes Effect at (SCHOOL NAME) Starting (DATE), parents dropping off or picking up their children will see No Idling: Young Lungs at Work signs posted in the carpool lanes. The No-Idling Zone is part of our involvement with the Clean Air Schools program, in partnership with The Clean Air Campaign. Through this program, we are working to protect the health of our students and the health of our environment, and we ask you to show your support by turning off your engine. (SCHOOL NAME/SCHOOL DISTRICT) has also adopted a no-idling policy for our school buses, greatly restricting the idling time on school grounds. The emissions that come from our tailpipes harm all of us, especially children who breathe more and at a faster rate than adults. Metro Atlanta s air pollution problem also poses particular risks for our children with asthma. Georgia has a higher than average rate of pediatric asthma, and even low levels of pollution can trigger an asthma attack or respiratory symptoms. (IF SCHOOL RATE OF CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA IS HIGH, INSERT INFO HERE) So, if you re going to be sitting still for more than 30 seconds, please remember to turn your car s engine off. You ll not only improve our air, you ll also save money in fuel and vehicle wear and tear costs! To learn more about air pollution, its effects and how we can all breathe easier, visit.

10 No Idling Young Lungs at Work Through our participation in the Clean Air Schools program, our school is establishing a No Idling Zone to improve air quality and create a healthier environment for our students. Vehicle Exhaust Affects Our Children Children breathe 50% more air per pound than adults. Children are closer to the ground, and therefore closer to vehicle tailpipes. Asthma is the most common chronic illness in children and the cause of most school absences. Exposure to car emissions can aggravate children s asthma symptoms and make it harder to breathe. How You Can Help Turn your engine off while waiting for your child at school. Benefits to You, Your Children and Our School By not idling, you keep three pounds of pollution per month from going into the air - helping us all breathe easier. Each hour you re not idling saves up to a gallon of fuel, which puts more money back into your pocket. Use the savings to do something nice for your family! Your Actions Make a Difference Thanks for turning off your engine! No Idling Young Lungs at Work Through our participation in the Clean Air Schools program, our school is establishing a No Idling Zone to improve air quality and create a healthier environment for our students. Vehicle Exhaust Affects Our Children Children breathe 50% more air per pound than adults. Children are closer to the ground, and therefore closer to vehicle tailpipes. Asthma is the most common chronic illness in children and the cause of most school absences. Exposure to car emissions can aggravate children s asthma symptoms and make it harder to breathe. How You Can Help Turn your engine off while waiting for your child at school. Benefits to You, Your Children and Our School By not idling, you keep three pounds of pollution per month from going into the air - helping us all breathe easier. Each hour you re not idling saves up to a gallon of fuel, which puts more money back into your pocket. Use the savings to do something nice for your family! Your Actions Make a Difference Thanks for turning off your engine!

11 No deje su vehículo en punto muerto. Proteja los pulmones de los chicos. Con nuestra actividad con La Campaña de Aire Limpio (The Clean Air Campaign), nuestra escuela está estableciendo una zona de no dejar su vehículo en punto muerto para mejorar la calidad del aire y para crear un ambiente más sano para nuestros estudiantes. Exhausto vehicular afecta a los niños Los niños respiran 50 por ciento más aire por libra que adultos. Los niños andan más cerca de la tierra, y entonces quedan más cerca de los tubos de escape de vehículos. El asma es la enfermedad crónica más común en los niños y causa la mayoría de ausencias de escuela. La exposición a las emisiones de vehículos incrementa sintomas del asma, entonces crean condiciones mas dificiles de respirar. Como usted puede ayudar Apague su motor cuando espere a su hijo. Los beneficios para usted, sus niños y nuestra escuela Por no dejar su vehículo en punto muerto, usted guarda tres libras de contaminación por mes de entrar el aire. Cada hora de no dejar su vehículo en punto muerto ahorra un galón de gasolina, lo que ahorra dinero. Gasta los ahorros en algo especial para su família! Sus acciones hacen la diferencia Gracias por apagar su motor! No deje su vehículo en punto muerto. Proteja los pulmones de los chicos. Con nuestra actividad con La Campaña de Aire Limpio (The Clean Air Campaign), nuestra escuela está estableciendo una zona de no dejar su vehículo en punto muerto para mejorar la calidad del aire y para crear un ambiente más sano para nuestros estudiantes. Exhausto vehicular afecta a los niños Los niños respiran 50 por ciento más aire por libra que adultos. Los niños andan más cerca de la tierra, y entonces quedan más cerca de los tubos de escape de vehículos. El asma es la enfermedad crónica más común en los niños y causa la mayoría de ausencias de escuela. La exposición a las emisiones de vehículos incrementa sintomas del asma, entonces crean condiciones mas dificiles de respirar. Como usted puede ayudar Apague su motor cuando espere a su hijo. Los beneficios para usted, sus niños y nuestra escuela Por no dejar su vehículo en punto muerto, usted guarda tres libras de contaminación por mes de entrar el aire. Cada hora de no dejar su vehículo en punto muerto ahorra un galón de gasolina, lo que ahorra dinero. Gasta los ahorros en algo especial para su família! Sus acciones hacen la diferencia Gracias por apagar su motor!