Photo: Idling Car Exhaust. Photo Credit: Ruben De Rijicke, Wikapedia
We have all been there before, you have about an hour in between classes, and you don’t want to start on your homework, but you can’t go home because there isn’t enough time. What do you do? Sit in your car and listen to music, or eat your lunch, or play on your phone. But did you know that you’re using over a half a gallon per hour that you run your car? Even in idle, that can amount to some serious cash! Not only that, the bigger effect is on the environment.
There are numerous students who walk around campus and play outside, and the amount of C02 and other greenhouse gases in the area increases as the number of running cars increases. Idling produces both polluted air that students breathe and excess greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that warm the planet.
There are a number of things you can do besides sitting in your car here at WCC. We have a great Nature Trail, and if you don’t like that we hope to implement walking routes on paved routes around the campus as well. You could take some time to relax in the library or inside the Student Center. There is a lot more on campus than you realize. So next time you want to sit in your car with it idling, think twice. Your lungs, your wallet and the environment will thank you!
Tags: Sustainability