Dear Editor,
As I jogged along this morning from Simpson Bay to Marigot, a total of 3.5km each way, a thousand thoughts crossed my mind; letters I would write to the paper about the wonders and irritations of our beautiful island, thoughts racing from one topic to another as I crossed the potholes, mud and obstacles along Airport Road, then the beauty of the Causeway, and the hard-working guys cleaning the roundabout near the Border Monument.
So many sites to bring to everyone’s attention. Somehow running makes my mind race. But one thing stood out amongst so many others this morning. Something that irritates the heck out of me, mainly because I would love to do it, but realize how detrimental this action is to our environment.
On my way to Marigot, a mere 3km mind you, I counted 14 cars that were parked, with idling engines, airco running and in many cases no one inside. Even a huge tour bus on the side of Bellevue Road, for at least 30 minutes, no one in the driver’s seat. Think this is no big deal? Please read this report just released by the Environmental Defence Fund in the US:
1) Turn off your ignition if you’re waiting more than 10 seconds. Contrary to popular belief, restarting your car does not burn more fuel than leaving it idling. In fact, idling for just 10 seconds wastes more gas than restarting the engine.
2) Sitting in an idling car means you are breathing in more of the dirty exhaust that leaks into the car cabin. Any cooling you may get from the airco is not worth the damage to your health. If parked and waiting, it is healthier to get out of your car and go inside a store or building.
3) Protect your car engine by idling less. Frequent restarts are no longer hard on a car’s engine and battery. The added wear (which amounts to no more than $10 a year) is much less costly than the cost of wasted fuel (which can add up to $70 to $650 a year, depending on fuel prices, idling habits and vehicle type). Idling actually increases overall engine wear by causing the car to operate for longer than necessary.
4) Make the air healthier! Idling tailpipes spew out the same pollutants as moving cars. These pollutants have been linked to serious human illnesses, including asthma, heart disease, chronic bronchitis, and cancer.
5) Help the environment. For every 10 minutes your engine is off, you’ll prevent one pound of carbon dioxide from being released (carbon dioxide is the primary contributor to global warming). An EDF report shows that in New York City alone, idling cars and trucks produce 130,000 tons of carbon dioxide each year. To offset this amount of global warming pollution, we would need to plant an area the size of Manhattan with trees every single year.
6) Keep money in your wallet and save fuel. An idling car uses between 1/5 to 7/10 of a gallon of fuel an hour. An idling diesel truck burns approximately one gallon of fuel an hour. With average US prices for diesel fuel topping $2 a gallon, that’s about $2 an hour wasted.
So, please set an example to your kids, family, friends, by showing that you care about our world’s future. Turn off your car and enjoy our trade winds.
Susy Piscione
