We here along the Wasatch Front enjoyed a beautiful temperate month of June. Not too hot and not too cool. The last couple of days of June — and now, into July — the temperatures have been on the rise. Along with that I have noticed an increase in vehicle idling.
Recently I went to a big box home improvement store. As I was walking to the store through the parking lot I noticed a big diesel pickup truck idling with one person inside on the passenger side. Didn’t think anything of it at the time, figuring the driver was just returning the shopping cart or something like that.
In the store I spent 30 to 45 minutes shopping. When I left the store I took the same path back to my vehicle. As I passed the same pickup truck, it was still sitting there idling with the passenger still sitting there with no driver. It wasn’t that hot of a day and the passenger would have been perfectly fine with the windows rolled down. It was just polluting the air and what a waste of fuel.
Guess gas prices aren’t high enough, yet. Again, subsequently, the same scenario played out at the grocery store. I was sitting in my vehicle, with my engine turned off, waiting for my wife while she did some shopping. In the winter I’ve seen this as people want to stay warm and in the summer they can’t stand to be too hot.
Stop sitting in your vehicle idling for your personal comfort. Every little bit helps that we can all do when it comes to our air quality. Stop idling, people, and get out of your car and go plant a tree!
James Wypijewski, Kaysville
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