Valley AIRCorps | Idle Reduction Initiative | Task Force
OUTREACH | IDLE REDUCTION PROGRAM
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in many cities the personal automobile is the single greatest polluter, as emissions from millions of vehicles on the road add up. And believe it or not, idling for just 20 minutes generates the same amount of hazardous emissions as driving nearly 320 miles! The good news is that you can help. One way to reduce the amount of pollution that your car or truck produces is to reduce unnecessary engine idling, or running your vehicle at low speed.
The exhaust produced by engine idling contains a mix of small particles and chemicals classified as "hazardous air pollutants." Some of these pollutants include particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. Motor vehicle exhaust is also a key component of ground-level ozone—the air pollutant Winchester-Frederick County is working to prevent. To request your sign, contact the EDC.
POST AN IDLE REDUCTION SIGN TO HELP
Area schools, day care centers, and other businesses in the Winchester-Frederick County area have installed free Valley AIRNow Healthy Air Zone street signs to encourage parents, employees, and patrons to turn off their engines while parked.
Each sign is metal, colorful, and 12" x 18" in dimension. The signs may either be mounted on a metal, green u-channel post or placed directly onto the side of a building.
To see photographs of some of our partners currently displaying these signs, click on one of the business names below.
To date, area schools and businesses are displaying a total of 140 signs. So if you see a sign and know you are going to be stopped for longer than 30 seconds, help us keep our Shenandoah Valley beautiful and our community healthy--turn off your engine!
