Car pollutants like hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide can harm human health. You can easily reduce these pollutants in one easy step. By turning off car engines while waiting for students at school, you can improve air quality for both the environment and school children. Follow this activity to implement this activity in your community.
ESTABLISH YOUR SCHOOL’S GRADES OF GREEN TEAM. First, establish your Green Team. If you don't have a Green Team yet, click the "Get Started with Grades of Green" Resource.
Step 2
WATCH OUR WEBINAR. Watch our "No Idle Zone Webinar" Resource HERE. It highlights best practices of implementing this activity, demonstrates the effects of idling, and addresses some common questions you may come across while taking on the No Idle Zone activity.
Step 3
SET GOALS AND START TRACKING. What do you want to accomplish by implementing Grades of Green’s No Idle Zone Activity? Whether it’s setting a goal of the number of students involved or the amount of cars that don’t idle before or after school, set a goal and begin tracking your progress so you know when it’s time to CELEBRATE! Record your starting data before beginning so you know when you’ve accomplished your goal. Ready to take it a step further? You can test your school’s air quality before and after establishing a No Idle Zone to see the difference you’re making. Here is an example of a portable air quality monitor that can be purchased to obtain these measurements. Once you have tested the quality of the air, it’s time to get creative. Show the data on a poster or banner by your school’s pick-up/drop-off area to draw awareness.
Step 4
SHARE WITH YOUR SCHOOL! Make sure your school community knows you’re implementing Grades of Green’s No Idle Zone Activity, as well as the positive impact this Activity will have on your school community. Share facts about why No Idle Zones are important over the morning announcements, and add the facts to bulletin boards around campus, your school’s electronic newspaper or take-home packets to inspire parents, students and teachers at your school to get involved.
Step 5
CREATE A BANNER.Print Grades of Green’s "Idling Gets You Nowhere" Banner, or make your own. If you have more than one drop-off location at your school, you will want to make or order multiple banners for each location.
Step 6
HANG THE BANNER(s). Place the No Idle Zone banners in visible locations at the front of your drop-off or pick-up zones. Use zip-ties or fasteners to ensure the banner is weather-resistant.
Step 7
KICK OFF THE ACTIVITY! Get your Grades of Green Team involved on a kick-off day by standing at the front of the school during parent pick-up and drop-off with signs and posters reminding parents to turn off their engines. You can also have them pass out "thank you tickets" to parents who are “turning their key to be idle-free.” The tickets can give facts on idling, which you can find on Grades of Green’s No Idle Zone Fact Sheet. Thank any drivers who turn off their engine--even adults love positive reinforcement.
Step 8
KEEP IT GOING. Once the No Idle Zone Activity is kicked off at your school, create a plan for regularly reminding drivers to avoid idling near campus. For example, Grades of Green Team students can monitor idling at drop-off and pick-up weekly or monthly. Creating a schedule for monitoring is a great way to keep the program going strong.
Step 9
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL EDUCATION. You can educate your school about your No Idle Zone by: sending an informational flyer home electronically about the impacts of idling, writing in the school newspaper, writing in the local newspaper, and/or preparing Grades of Green Team members to provide in-class presentations on the environmental impact of idling for all science classes! (Feeling inspired? Checkout the EPA’S No Idle Zone Toolkit for a video, a sample presentation, sample parent letter and more. This toolkit has great resources to keep the momentum of your No Idle Zone project going throughout the year).
Step 10
EXPAND YOUR NO IDLE ZONE. When you have your school's No Idle Zone(s) running smoothly, attend a School Board meeting top present the positive impact of your school’s No Idle Zone(s). Consider proposing that your whole District proclaim a district-wide No Idle Zone policy. Looking for some inspiration? Checkout the story of Grades of Green student Antonio, and how he achieved a state-wide No Idle Zone Resolution in California.
Step 11
MEASURE THE RESULTS. Remember that goal you set earlier? How’d it go? How many cars stopped idling or how many students participated? If you tested your air quality with an air quality monitor, measure it again to see how YOU improved the air quality around campus.
Step 12
PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK! Reward your school’s Grades of Green Team members who helped make this eco-victory possible. Whether it’s through a pat on the back, announcing the Grades of Green Team accomplishments over the loud speaker, throwing a Popsicle party, etc., reward the people who volunteered their time to make this possible. Are there standout eco-superstars on your Grades of Green Team? Email Grades of Green here and we’ll see if we can find some extra ways to acknowledge and reward them on our website, in our e-newsletter and on social media.
Step 13
Congratulations! You completed Grades of Green’s No Idle Zone Activity for your school and we couldn’t be prouder. You helped inspire and empower students to care for the environment, and the Earth is just that much better off as a result! Email us the results you achieved, photos or videos of your completed No Idle Zone and tag @gradesofgreen on social media so we can help share your story. And don’t forget to also let your school district and city government know about your great and green accomplishments.
Step 14
MAKE IT SUSTAINABLE. What can you do to make this Activity sustainable at your school for years to come? Brainstorm with your Grades of Green Team ways to make the Activity sustainable and part of your school’s everyday culture. We suggest making Grades of Green positions permanent, as well as adding tips and suggestions to your PTA or volunteer handbook and adding a date to the calendar now to reeducate students next year.
Benefit to Students
Watch our No Idle Zone webinar HERE. It highlights best practices of implementing this activity, demonstrates the effects of idling, and addresses some common questions you may come across while taking on the No Idle Zone activity. For the best viewing experience, click play and then expand to the full screen version! | SHARE WITH YOUR SCHOOL! Make sure your school community knows you’re implementing Grades of Green’s No Idle Zone Activity, as well as the positive impact this Activity will have on your school community. Share facts about why No Idle Zones are important over the morning announcements, and add the facts to bulletin boards around campus, your school’s electronic newspaper or take-home packets to inspire parents, students and teachers at your school to get involved. | CREATE A BANNER. Print Grades of Green’s "Idling Gets You Nowhere" Banner, or make your own. If you have more than one drop-off location at your school, you will want to make or order multiple banners for each location. | HANG THE BANNER(s). Place the No Idle Zone banners in visible locations at the front of your drop-off or pick-up zones. Use zip-ties or fasteners to ensure the banner is weather-resistant. | KICK OFF THE ACTIVITY! Get your Grades of Green Team involved on a kick-off day by standing at the front of the school during parent pick-up and drop-off with signs and posters reminding parents to turn off their engines. You can also have them pass out "thank you tickets" to parents who are “turning their key to be idle-free.” The tickets can give facts on idling, which you can find on Grades of Green’s No Idle Zone Fact Sheet. Thank any drivers who turn off their engine--even adults love positive reinforcement. | KEEP IT GOING. Once the No Idle Zone Activity is kicked off at your school, create a plan for regularly reminding drivers to avoid idling near campus. For example, Grades of Green Team students can monitor idling at drop-off and pick-up weekly or monthly. Creating a schedule for monitoring is a great way to keep the program going strong. | PROVIDE ADDITIONAL EDUCATION. You can educate your school about your No Idle Zone by: sending an informational flyer home electronically about the impacts of idling, writing in the school newspaper, writing in the local newspaper, and/or preparing Grades of Green Team members to provide in-class presentations on the environmental impact of idling for all science classes! (Feeling inspired? Checkout the EPA’S No Idle Zone Toolkit for a video, a sample presentation, sample parent letter and more. This toolkit has great resources to keep the momentum of your No Idle Zone project going throughout the year). | EXPAND YOUR NO IDLE ZONE. When you have your school's No Idle Zone(s) running smoothly, attend a School Board meeting top present the positive impact of your school’s No Idle Zone(s). Consider proposing that your whole District proclaim a district-wide No Idle Zone policy. Looking for some inspiration? Checkout the story of Grades of Green student Antonio, and how he achieved a state-wide No Idle Zone Resolution in California. | MEASURE THE RESULTS. Remember that goal you set earlier? How’d it go? How many cars stopped idling or how many students participated? If you tested your air quality with an air quality monitor, measure it again to see how YOU improved the air quality around campus. | PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK! Reward your school’s Grades of Green Team members who helped make this eco-victory possible. Whether it’s through a pat on the back, announcing the Grades of Green Team accomplishments over the loud speaker, throwing a Popsicle party, etc., reward the people who volunteered their time to make this possible. Are there standout eco-superstars on your Grades of Green Team? Email Grades of Green here and we’ll see if we can find some extra ways to acknowledge and reward them on our website, in our e-newsletter and on social media. If you’re in Southern California, invite your student eco-superstars to apply for Grades of Green’s Youth Corps Eco-Leadership Program. | Congratulations! You completed Grades of Green’s No Idle Zone Activity for your school and we couldn’t be prouder. You helped inspire and empower students to care for the environment, and the Earth is just that much better off as a result! Email us the results you achieved, photos or videos of your completed No Idle Zone and tag @gradesofgreen on social media so we can help share your story. And don’t forget to also let your school district and city government know about your great and green accomplishments. | MAKE IT SUSTAINABLE. What can you do to make this Activity sustainable at your school for years to come? Brainstorm with your Grades of Green Team ways to make the Activity sustainable and part of your school’s everyday culture. We suggest making Grades of Green positions permanent, as well as adding tips and suggestions to your PTA or volunteer handbook and adding a date to the calendar now to reeducate students next year.