Does your business have a drop-off zone, drive-through window, or parking lot? If so, do customers frequently idle for 10 or more seconds on your property?

Many businesses fit into one or both of these categories and may not have considered the economic and environmental impacts of idling vehicles. When a car or truck is left running while it’s parked or sitting still, fuel and money are wasted while the engine produces air pollution. This pollution contributes to poor air quality and global climate change, as well as being harmful to health.

Vehicle idling is a bad habit. Your business can save fuel and money and protect air quality by breaking this habit and encouraging your customers to go idle-free as well.

To encourage Idahoans to turn off their engines instead of idling, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) initiated the Clean Air Zone Idaho program. The program began in 2004 with a campaign aimed at encouraging school bus drivers and others not to idle on school grounds. To date, nearly 300 Idaho schools and child care facilities have voluntarily joined the program.

In 2006, the program expanded to discourage vehicle idling at community facilities where idling is common, such as airports, libraries, parks, sports areas, and universities. To date, more than 30 Idaho communities have joined the program.

Recent efforts have focused on encouraging businesses to join the Clean Air Zone Idaho program. Businesses with delivery vans or truck fleets are great candidates for participation in the program, as are businesses with loading docks or drive-through lanes or parking lots where vendors or customers often sit and idle.

Participation in the Clean Air Zone Idaho program is voluntary and free. Participants receive free resources and recognition. It’s easy to join. Simply contact DEQ’s Community Outreach Specialist or the DEQ Regional Office nearest you.

 It pollutes the air.