#idlehandsont

The first time I realized that idling was illegal, I was sitting in a McDonald's parking lot in the East end of Toronto when I was 17. I grew up in a small town. I was pretty in touch with right from wrong from an environmentalists perspective. After seeing the no idling sign predominantly placed at McDonald's - I never idled again. It just made sense. 

When I started Idle Hands Ontario, I quickly realized that people didn't care about breaking an idling bylaw. They didn't take it seriously. Nor did they care if public vehicles idled. It was convenient to idle, it was convenient to not turn the key. So this campaign inherently brought its challenges. Being a non confrontational environmentalist, I assumed everyone else was too.  

I quickly learned that was not the case. I did learn, however, that upon educating people - they started to agree that idling was harmful. They started to think about all the children that ride transit or the school bus or taxi cabs being exposed to that harmful exhaust. They started to think about the elderly getting wheeled into the hospital on University Avenue. They started to think about wasting their money with useless idling. Upon educating people - they started to get it. 

This campaign showed me that anything is possible if you are loud enough and passionate enough. Though we didn't strictly change policy - we made our voices known to government officials. We were a loud voice in the face of idling, and we brought like minded people together to help support a good cause. 

I am moving on in my career, and I am sad to say goodbye. But I will always advocate for an Idle Free Ontario, and look forward to the day when that policy shapes itself into a reality. 

Best of luck, Idle Hands Ontario, and I shall see you again soon. 

Idle Hands Ontario has had a successful and invigorating start to our "Idle Free Ontario" campaign. However, there is still room for improvement, and we need all the help we can get from our followers and supporters. 

To put things into perspective, municipal vehicles idle for 40-70% of their operating time. This is wasting over one million dollars in wasted gas. These vehicles are idling unnecessarily and they are wasting taxpayers money, not to mention releasing harmful greenhouse gases into our fragile environment. Greenhouse gas emissions have continued to be overlooked by our government, despite the statement released by Stephen Harper to reduce GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions by 17% in 2020. Our government is failing to achieve these targets:

http://www.environment.utoronto.ca/AllocatingGHGReductions2013/

So what does Idle Hands Ontario want for Christmas?

 For municipal government to change their bylaws to include government owned fleet vehicles!

 For provincial government to create a provincial wide mandate to be an idle free province!

For fleet managers to recognize the emission and cost savings from turning off their fleets!

For idling bylaws to be strictly enforced to ensure the general public follow this bylaw! 

2014 provides us with fresh starts and new beginnings. We are determined to push the government to answer our questions and influence positive, green, sustainable change. Our government must look at vehicle emissions and regulate the extravagant idle times from fleets. We are paying for this idling time in taxpayers money and in dirty air. 

Whether it’s their proximity to Detroit, or their positive and forward thinking when it comes to sustainability- Windsor is on board with Idle Hands Ontario. And they’re the first city to give us an honest response to the inherent issues surrounding car idling.

So why haven’t other cities expressed concern with these issues? Why have politicians ignored thousands of emails from concerned individuals? Why are idling bylaws not enforced? Why are there so many exemptions within these unenforced bylaws?

Idle Hands Ontario is determined to get the answers and the response that we deserve. We will continue to investigate and we will continue to ask the questions that should have been asked years ago.

IDLE HANDS ONTARIO is getting some incredibly positive results -- both from government officials as well as the concerned public! Together, we have generated over 30,000 signed petitions, and those petitions have been integral in moving our campaign forward.

So, what have I been up to other than spreading awareness about the harms of car idling:

I have solidified a presentation to the Windsor Essex County Environmental Committee, speaking in front of elected officials:

Councillor Alan Halberstadt

Deputy Mayor Charlie Wright

Deputy Mayor Tamara Stomp, and

Councillor Hilary Payne

I have also solidified a presentation to the Kingston Environmental Advisor Forum, speaking in front of elected officials:

Councillor Sandy Berg

Councillor Rick Downes

Councillor Jim Neils, and

Councillor Jeff Scott

A Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener-Conestoga, Michael Harris, has agreed to read a statement in front of Ontario Legislature about Idle Hands' proposed mandate