Torontonians Encouraged to Not Stand Idly By

Greenest City in collaboration with the Clean Airs
Partnership (CAP) is organizing volunteers to hit the streets in a four-day anti-idling blitz to remind drivers all over the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) not to idle their engines.
Volunteer “Idle-Free Ambassadors” will inform drivers and pedestrians about the air quality impacts of engine idling, remind them of the City of Toronto by-law prohibiting idling for more than 3 minutes, and emphasize that idling a vehicle for 10 minutes a day uses up more than 100 litres of gas a year, which can cost $95.
Many are not aware of the environmental and economic
impact idling can have over the long term.
Drivers will be engaged in conversation about reducing their impact on the environment, through idling their engines less.
Drivers will be asked to demonstrate their commitment to stop idling by displaying a removable decal in their window.
The decal will act as a reminder to drivers when
they are stopped for even a short amount of time.
For every day that 100 drivers reduce idling by 10 minutes, 69 kg of greenhouse gas emission would be eliminated.
This is the equivalent of not driving one car for 4 days.
In 2003, GHG emissions from Canada’s transportation sector accounted for 25.7 per cent (190 megatonnes) of total emissions from secondary energy use.
Emissions from on-road passenger travel produced 78 Mt of GHGs, which represents roughly 48% of all transportation-related GHG emissions in 2003.
Greenest City is a non-profit, community-based
environmental organization committed to reducing
pollution, regenerating urban life, and promoting social equity.