Not driving? Turn off the engine!

Turning off the vehicle’s engine when you have stopped for more than 10 seconds is the responsible thing to do. For each liter of gasoline burned, a car, on average, produces 2.4kg of carbon dioxide (CO_2).  Emissions from our vehicles are among the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to climate change.

Vehicle idling, in addition to polluting the air and the environment, wastes fuel, clogs your car engine, and harms our health. Turning off the engine will save you money and reduce wear and tear on your vehicle, while protecting the environment.

A Few Tips: 

• When using your remote starter, start your car just a few minutes before using it, because the engine really only needs 30 seconds to warm up.
• Use a programmed timer two hours before your departure time when you plug in your vehicle using a block heater: this saves electricity.
• To ensure that your engine parts warm up properly, don’t accelerate too quickly when you leave home or work.

In 2009, the City of Deux-Montagnes adopted a regulation that prohibits the idling of combustion engines within its territory for more than three minutes within a sixty-minute period, except for heavy vehicles. This helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution that are responsible for climate change.

For more information on the regulation, simply go to the City of Deux-Montagnes’ regulation on life quality.

In Deux-Montagnes as elsewhere, I turn off my engine!

A few more driving tips that will help decrease pollution:

• Planning your trips, using the shortest route possible, avoiding traffic jams and combining your multiple trips are all ways you can save money, time and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
• Carpooling and taking the train or bus will help decrease urban smog created in part by the many vehicles on the road.
• Getting around by bike or by walking will help improve your health as well as air quality.
• Check the air pressure of your tires regularly and keep them maintained by following manufacturers’ recommendations.  A deflated tire can be dangerous and cause excessive fuel consumption by up to 3 %.
• Reduce your speed and drive with ease. By reducing your speed, you can considerably lower your fuel consumption by about 1 to 2 liters per 100km.