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Driving is one major contributing factor to global warming, because it churns out CO2. You still have influence over curbing vehicle emissions, even if you do not drive yourself. Every day, thousands of schools buses are used across the country and they provide safe and effective transportation for kids. Cars and buses contribute to global warming whenever they sit idling — keeping the motor running while not in gear or moving — in front of schools, wasting fuel and money.

When idling, a typical school bus engine burns approximately half a gallon of fuel per hour. School districts that eliminate unnecessary idling can save significant dollars in fuel costs each year and reduce their carbon footprint. Idling cars and buses can also pollute air in and around the bus. Exhaust from cars and buses can enter school buildings through air intakes, doors and open windows. Diesel exhaust from excessive idling can be a health concern.  Develop a car and school bus idling campaign in which a plan is drawn up to end bus idling.

Age Appropriate: 11 – Adult
Time: 15 – 30 minutes; expandable into year-long campaign
Impact: Decrease carbon footprint over time

Why You Should Do It

• Vehicle exhaust is hazardous to human health, especially children. Studies have linked pollution from vehicles to increased rates of cancer, heart and lung disease, asthma and allergies.
• Idling wastes resources and damages the environment. Burning fuel needlessly costs you money and contributes to air pollution problems.
•  Idling vehicles can be easily stolen or can cause damage if accidentally engaged.
•  Today’s cars do not need to be warmed up, except in extremely cold conditions (below 0° F). In fact, for modern diesel engines idling can actually be harder on the engine than driving down the road.

What You Do

• Survey the buses that wait outside your school, using the Idling Bus Survey form to record how long the busesn and cars idle while waiting for kids to get on and off the bus.
• Using the data that you have gathered, talk to the school administrator, the school bus drivers, and your parents about why it is important not to idle in school drop-off/pick-up zones.  Use the “Role Playing” handout to help you determine how best to talk to people about this issue.
• Ask your friends and schoolmates to help you design an anti-idling poster and hand out for school bus drivers and your parents. 

What You Gain

• Idling wastes fuel and money.  Cutting idling time back will save the school a lot of money each year!
• Idling is harder on diesel engines than restarting or driving.   This will save the school money, too, as repairs and replacements are costly.
• Reducing idling can make the air cleaner in your community.
• Help everyone to breathe easier!

Additional Resources

Try out the bus idling calculator to determine how much CO2 is being released now in your schools' fleet of school buses.

Environmental Protection Agency has a tool kit for conducting your own car and bus idling campaign.