Green Calgary

Participate as a School

Tragically, one of the most common places to find idling cars is outside of schools. Parents and guardians, waiting to pick up their children after school, unwittingly release over 40 harmful toxins into the air in and around the school. This means that many of the air pollutants being released every day in the city are concentrated around the people most easily effected by it: children. Children breathe faster than adults, and inhale more air proportionally to their body weight, which puts their developing bodies at a much higher risk of respiratory diseases, heart diseases, and cancer. Help stop this senseless activity by raising awareness and making your school Idle Free.

Schools going Idle Free will be recognized by Green Calgary on our webpage, and will receive support throughout the process. They will have an option to sell Idle Free decals (provided by Green Calgary) from their school as a fundraiser for the program.

Think about using the following four steps when going Idle Free:

Talk about going Idle Free with Administration.
Come armed with a plan to show how easy this will be and information about how harmful idling is.

Educate everyone involved or effected.
This includes school staff, parents and guardians, as well as students. Tell them why you are going Idle Free and what they can do to help. If there is a club or class championing the initiative, empower them to do the education through presentations, letters home, and posters.

Commit to the Idle Free policy.
Get vehicle decals for parents, guardians and staff who commit, and put up signs in areas where idling may occur.

Celebrate the fact that your school is Idle Free.
Advertise the fact in your newsletter, and congratulate parents and guardians who are participating.

Learn More

Clean Air Achievers
Environmental Roundtable
Getting there Green