Clean air initiative in Glen Ellyn seeks to reduce engine idling near schools

The League of Women Voters of Glen Ellyn is teaming with local schools and community groups to create a campaign aimed at reducing the amount of air pollution produced by idling car engines in school car lines. The campaign kicked off on Earth Day, April 22, and includes all five Glen Ellyn School District 41 schools.

The LWVGE’s Anti-Idling Task Force has been working on the campaign since the fall, according to a news release. Besides District 41 schools, the organization is also partnering with the Glen Ellyn Park District and Go Green Glen Ellyn to provide support and help communicate the mission. The group plans to expand the program to other Glen Ellyn schools, including preschools, in the future.

The campaign requests that parents or other caregivers in the car line turn their vehicle off if they need to wait more than 10 seconds, avoid idling at schools, limit idling time to five minutes when warming or cooling a vehicle in extreme weather and opt to carpool as often as possible.

For more information on this campaign, visit lwvge.org/cleanair.