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Parents Asked To Avoid Idling Vehicle At School
EMISSIONS

With schools reopen for the fall session, air quality officials are asking parents across the San Joaquin Valley to consider student health and turn off their engines when waiting to pick up their children at the end of the school day. Limiting vehicle idling at schools will help to reduce air pollution and student exposure to vehicle emissions.

Schools are now back in session, and increased vehicle traffic contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone. Parents can help reduce emissions and protect public health by incorporating some of the following practices:

• Coordinate a carpool or rideshare to get kids to and from school.

• Driving less – Look for ways to leave your gasoline vehicle home more often by linking your trips.

• Walking your children to school.

• Driving zero-emission or low-emission vehicles – The District offers a cash rebate www.valleyair.org/drivecleaninthesanjoaquin/rebate/ to go electric.

• Keeping your vehicle running properly – A well-tuned vehicle pollutes less.

• Avoiding the use of drive-through services – Turn off your engine and go inside for food, coffee and other services instead of idling in the drive-through.

• Turning off your engine at school – When you are stopping to drop the kids off in the morning and waiting to pick them up at the end of the school day, please do not idle.

“Protecting the health of children is our greatest priority,” said Jaime Holt, the District’s Chief Communications Officer. “We urge the public to be mindful of their impact on air quality during this critical Back-to-School window and throughout the school year.”

The Valley has seen significant reductions in summer time ozone pollution levels over the past two decades. However, with the increase in wildfire activity over the last several years, it is more important than ever that parents and schools take steps to reduce students’ exposure to poor air quality while also reducing the creation of additional air pollution.

To help ensure continued progress and minimize pollution associated with school site vehicle idling, the District has partnered with hundreds of Valley schools through the Healthy Air Living Schools program, providing “no-idling” signs and other resources that remind parents to “Turn the key, be idle free” when picking up or dropping off students. Healthy Air Living Schools also includes training for school staff on using the District’s Real-time Air Advisory Network (RAAN), which displays hourly air quality data, and corresponding outdoor activity recommendations to protect student health.

All Valley residents can find current, localized air quality data by visiting www.myRAAN.com or downloading the free Valley Air app from the Apple Store or Google Play. These tools, and many other air quality monitoring tools available online, allow users to save multiple locations and quickly view the air quality level at their saved locations.

To learn more about the Healthy Air Living Schools program, request a presentation or enrollment into the program, visit www.healthyairliving.com/schools or contact district officials at healthyairlivingschools@valleyair.org.

For more information, call the District office in Modesto at 209-557-6400.