Idle for 4 seconds? Turn It Off!

Think about it – you’re making a quick stop in at the laundry or the surf shop or the market just for a second to pick up ________. You leave your vehicle running because it’s just a second. Well, if that’s you, and you know who you are, count to 6 as you’re doing that errand because after that you’re polluting the earth for no reason whatsoever. (1)

But I’m using bio-diesel so I’m not polluting when I idle my vehicle. Think again. Just because you’re using bio-diesel doesn’t mean that there is no cost to that fuel. How do you think that bio-diesel gets to Tofino – by a fuel driven truck. Are you using 100% bio-diesel or a mixture? Where do you think bio-diesel comes from and how much fuel driven farm machinery and pesticides are used on those crops? Who do you think grows those crops for bio-diesel – agra-business, who are just as nice and friendly and caring about the environment as the oil companies. So do you really think you’re not harming the planet letting your vehicle run because it’s bio-diesel?

Think you need to idle your car? Read these idling myths from the City of Burnaby, BC

In 2003, the British Columbia Provincial Health Officer’s Report estimated the number of emergency room visits per year attributable to air pollution in B.C. at approximately 1000. (2)

The above has been up on this site for the last two years and now we are somewhat proud to see that Tofino Council has come out with an anti-Idling Bylaw…

New Tofino Anti-Idling Bylaw
Okay, we’re happy to see this bylaw since we’ve been trying to educate people on our own and getting the brush-off each time, and while we don’t like the 60 seconds, it does beat the five minutes that Toronto allows. What we would like to know is how is this bylaw going to be enforced? But small cudo’s to council for even bringing it in and we’ll see how it goes.
Read the Tofino Anti-Idling Bylaw Press Release.