It's Clean Air Week and over the next five days in schools across Ireland are needed to take part in some citizen science.
Organised by An Taisce's Green-Schools Travel programme, Clean Air Week calls on schools and communities to work together to improve and protect air quality by choosing active travel modes, implementing idling bans and promoting improved driver behaviour.
Cost of engine idling: While engine idling is damaging and unnecessary, especially to children's health, it is also damaging to our pockets. Ten minutes of idling could take you 8 kilometres. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) Energy Academy highlights that an idling engine will use between 0.5 to 2 litres of fuel in an hour.
Idling engines have significant impacts on air quality in our communities, particularly at schools where those most vulnerable to poor air quality, children, congregate. Green-Schools Travel Officers will be working with schools next week to share resources, activities, and promote measures focused on improving air quality.
You can download the No Idling Toolkit here!
And find out more about Air Quality with this classroom resource.
Recent studies* have shown the importance of cleaner air in Ireland. While generally of good quality, air pollution is a contributory factor in childhood illnesses, such as asthma, and is linked to over one thousand premature deaths each year.**
No Idling Survey
During October and November 2023 Green-Schools Travel Officers conducted vehicle idling surveys (engines running while stationary) with over 100 schools. The aim was to capture the extent of idling outside schools and provide a snapshot of the issue in Ireland. Idling was recorded for all vehicle types, and ranged from one to 25 minutes.
A survey conducted at a primary school noted that of the 33 vehicles waiting outside their school during the survey period, 48 per cent were found to be idling unnecessarily. Of these, 21% left their engines running between six and ten minutes. Studies show that anything beyond 10 seconds while parked is too much and uses more fuel than restarting the car. At one urban secondary school surveyed, a collective two hours of engine idling took place within a half hour period, with 33% of the emissions from larger vehicles, mainly SUVs.
Idling is a habit few people consider, and one which many believe is better for their car than turning off the engine. To bust the myths and provide information, Green-Schools have produced Idling FAQs.
Schools and communities can find the Green-Schools No Idling Toolkit, Air Quality Resource and Idling FAQ's on the Green-Schools website along with new in-class resources and templates to engage all ages to #BeatAirPollution.
Visit the official site to see all the resources and to find out more!
For more on Climate Action and activity go
