Idling cars and trucks not only waste expensive fuel, they also put a lot of pollutants into our air. That’s why the City Council modified a city ordinance to limit vehicle idling times to three minutes, except when in traffic.

Vehicle motors release particulate matter, dirt, nitrous oxides, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide into the air. These chemicals are linked to increased rates of cancer, heart and lung disease and asthma and are the major source of human-caused global warming. Children are especially vulnerable to vehicle air pollution because their lungs are still developing, and they inhale more pounds of pollution per pound of body weight than adults do.

Reducing vehicle idling in Minneapolis translates into substantially less air pollution. Reducing air pollution protects the public health and the environment.

For the driver, reducing idling saves money in fuel. On average, a car will burn more than half a gallon of fuel for every hour spent idling. In general, 10 seconds of idling uses more fuel then restarting the car. Warming up a car’s engine in winter needs no more than 30 seconds, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Engines generally pollute more when cold, and driving a vehicle cuts warm-up time in half. Idling a cold engine actually pollutes more than driving it does, and idling is harder on the engine.