The program starts by collecting data, then shows kids and their parents how much impact they can make simply by turning off their engines as they wait. Michaud said of the 20 school-based studies the campaign has run so far, some have reduced exhaust tonnage dramatically \u2014\u00a0by up to 85% at a Vermont high school and 75% at Carlmont High School in Belmont in the South Bay.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The program seeks to educate parents about the level of harm that a single idling car can cause when it\u2019s multiplied by all the school days in a year. The nonprofit has found that, on average, 20 to 30 cars per school idle for 15 minutes or more each, resulting in 500 gallons of fuel burned and five tons of CO2 per year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The program is simple enough to be replicated at any school: collect idling data over several days, tracking how many cars idle in front of the school and for how long, then extrapolate to show the impact over the course of a school year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The process begins with a meeting with kids and teachers about idling. Second, kids conduct the study out on the sidewalk. Third, the school encourages parents not to idle through emails, an app, and signage at the dropoff line. Fourth, students speak directly with parents or guardians at school stops to teach them about environmental harms. An optional fifth step has the kids collect the data again to see whether cars are idling less.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The program, based on the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s idle-free schools toolkit<\/a>, also has teachers work with students on how to get the word out about the harms of idling.\u00a0<\/p>\n The program focuses on reducing idling at schools \u2014 rather than, say, at businesses or fast-food lanes \u2014 because the exhaust from internal combustion engines poses a greater risk for children whose lungs are still developing.\u00a0<\/p>\n Academic and government research has found that idling is harmful. The California Air Resources Board has\u00a0 encouraged Californians to reduce their idling time. \u201cIdling of all vehicles causes damage to our health and our environment,\u201d an informational flier<\/a> states.\u201dIf possible, turn off your engine if you are waiting for more than 10 seconds.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Anti-idling campaigns have cropped up around the country and internationally. In Colorado, the Engines Off<\/a> campaign, supported by the Regional Air Quality Council, includes programs to reduce idling in schools, and Idle Free in Utah<\/a> says it has engaged more than 1,000 students a year in air quality advocacy. A national campaign by Sustainable America<\/a>, promoted by banker and environmental activist George Pakenham, reminds drivers that two minutes of idling<\/a> produces as much pollution as a mile of driving.<\/p>\n Students at Lazear Charter hit the curb<\/p>\n This past semester, with Michaud\u2019s support, Lazear Charter Academy took part in the program under the guidance of science teacher Esperanza Magallanes.\u00a0<\/p>\n In February, students there observed one day that about half of the 96 cars waiting to pick up kids idled, and those idling minutes added up to three hours in total, or about 9.8 pounds of CO2 per day on average. After a period of outreach to parents in April, the students gathered data again in late May. Unfortunately, idling slightly increased, with cars this time discharging an average of 10.4 pounds of CO2 per day.\u00a0<\/p>\n Michaud told us it\u2019s not unusual for idling to rise on hot days with average temperatures of 80 degrees, as drivers tend to keep their car engines on to run the air conditioner.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cPeople do not want to be uncomfortable. Just like in a home environment, we compensate for more extreme temperatures by the clothing we wear and by adjusting HVAC systems,\u201d he said. But he suggested that parents could come up with alternative solutions to idling with the heat or AC on, by keeping warm clothing on hand for cold days or bringing a personal fan when it\u2019s hot. Besides, he said, Oakland\u2019s temperate climate rarely requires even that level of preparation.\u00a0<\/p>\n Magallanes told The Oaklandside that the idea for getting her school involved began when she was creating a lesson plan on the world\u2019s limited energy resources.\u00a0<\/p>\n She had her students explore the emissions of internal combustion engines versus electric vehicles, and she asked them to explore the energy involved in producing lithium-ion batteries that power those cars. That lesson sparked classroom discussion about how to eliminate the use of gas. She got in touch with Richard Battersby, of the East Bay Clean Cities Coalition<\/a>, who put her in touch with Michaud. The Coalition ended up funding the anti-idling program at Lazear.<\/p>\n She said students immediately wanted to learn about idling when they heard about it.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe idea of turning off the engine is common, that if you leave your car running, it\u2019s bad for the environment,\u201d she said. \u201cHaving a name to this idea \u2013 idling \u2013 brought more awareness. They were very excited about it.\u201d<\/p>\n Some kids were interested in sharing the information with their parents, many of whom were Spanish speakers who lacked access to science-based information about the effects of idling. \u201cThey said that a lot of families listened,\u201d she said \u2014 though some did not. \u201cBut they all said, \u2018At least I tried.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Gael Ortega-Torres, one of her students, said it was a fun project to work on with friends, especially figuring out together how to communicate creatively with their parents, including through decorative posters. Cynthia Campos, another student in Magallanes\u2019s class, told us she found the project \u201creally impactful\u201d because parents at the pick up spot told her they had reduced their idling as a result.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cMost of them were really surprised about the effects of it and immediately turned off their engines when we explained it \u2014 one thanked us,\u201d she said. Campos said the experience made her more interested in pursuing a career as a biologist.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ortega-Torres told The Oaklandside his parents are among those who are now idling less. He said he\u2019s also more aware of the effects of particulates on the lungs, as someone who plays soccer.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cKids have athletic or other passions, and pollution might affect you,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n On its main program page, Green Driving America notes that the Environmental Protection Agency has found<\/a> high levels of benzene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and other air toxins at schools during pick-up and drop-off times, which, at high concentrations, can contribute to asthma.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/unnamed-2-scaled.jpg\")
Green Driving America\u2019s Schools Are Not Drive-Thrus<\/a> program provides curb-side signage for schools. Credit: Wayne Michaud<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/lazear-academy-student-talks-to-parents.jpg\")
A student at Lazear Charter speaks to a parent driver about the environmental harms of idling. Credit: Esperanza Magallanes<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/oaklandside.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/LCA-SANDT-DCE-students-banner-4-24-26.jpg\")
Students at Lazear Charter Academy during their campaign to decrease idling emissions. Credit: Wayne Michaud Credit: Wayne Michaud<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/LCA-SANDT-DCE-art3-1-scaled.jpg\")
Each student at Lazear Charter created their own version of an anti-idling poster. Credit: Wayne Michaud<\/p>\n