Did you know?
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Children breathe 50 percent more air per pound than adults.
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Asthma is the third leading cause of hospitalization among children under the age of 15.
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Children’s asthma symptoms increase as a result of car exhaust.
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Asthma is the most common chronic illness in children and the cause of most school absences.
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Exposure to vehicle exhaust increases the risk of death from heart and lung disease and lung cancer.
Get your school involved in the
No-Idle Zone program today!
Email or call (509) 477-4727.
No-Idle Zone Program
Stop unnecessary vehicle idling to improve air quality and respiratory health around your school!
No one wants children breathing exhaust, and yet a great deal of idling takes place at schools, where buses and cars line up to drop off and pick up children. Children are especially susceptible to the harmful effects of vehicle exhaust.
Did you know...a single vehicle dropping off and picking up kids at one school puts three pounds of pollution into the air per month? Putting the brakes on unnecessary vehicle idling is one relatively easy way to contribute to better air for our kids and our communities.
If you are interested in implementing a No-Idle Zone program at your school or adapting it for another organization, our agency can help with advice and consultation, signs and other collateral. Program coordinators could be a teacher, parent, PTA group, student group or other interested party.
Program materials include:
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Program outline and implementation suggestions
"All Cheney Public Schools are No-Idle Zones because we know that it all adds up to clean air for our kids. Our parent drop off and pick up areas are No Idle Zones as are our school bus transportation loops." Debra J. Clemens, Ph.D., Superintendent, Cheney Public Schools -
Two, street-grade signs to post at pick-up and
drop-off areas -
Parent letter with fact sheet, and optional pledge form
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Letter for bus drivers and vendors
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No-Idle Zone keyrings for incentives
Is your school on the list? See below for a list of participating schools. Not on the list? It's easy to sign-up, just read below and take action!
School Program
Interested elementary and middle schools may sign up for this program. It's really quite simple to participate. As a school, you agree to:
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Post two No-Idle Zone signs (pictured on the left) in the student drop-off/pick-up areas. These signs are provided free-of-charge.
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Distribute hard copy or electronic program materials, provided to your school free-of-charge, to school families. This includes a program cover letter, an idling fact sheet, optional pledge form and thank you notes and incentives.
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Schools have the option of engaging their students in math and science activities, such as data collection and analysis by conducting pre and post program observations of idling behavior. Most schools that have implemented the program have seen a dramatic decrease in vehicle idling at their school.
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If the school is interested, information geared toward drivers of school buses and delivery vehicles is available. These drivers can "make a pledge not to idle unnecessarily" and receive a thank-you keyring as well.
Community Program
In addition to schools, the No-Idle Zone is reaching into communities and neighborhoods in the Spokane-area. Congratulations to the City of Liberty Lake, Washington! They are the first city in Washington to pass a No-Idle Zone resolution to support and encourage their residents to avoid unnecessary idling in their community. The City of Millwood also adopted a No-Idle Zone resolution.
Sign up today!
This program is available throughout Spokane County. To sign up and get your free materials, contact Stephanie at (509) 477-4727, ext. # 125.
No-Idle Zone Schools
Congratulations to these Spokane County schools that have implemented the No-Idle Zone program.
Central Valley School District:
South Pines, Sunrise, University, Bowdish MS, Greenacres MS, North Pines MS
Cheney School District:
Betz, Salnave, Snowdon, Sunset, Windsor, HomeWorks, Westwood MS, Cheney MS
East Valley School District:
East Farms, Otis Orchards, Trent, Trentwood Elementary, East Valley MS
Mead School District:
Evergreen, Meadow Ridge, Prairie View, Mountainside MS
Medical Lake School District:
Hallett, Michael Anderson, Medical Lake MS
Spokane School District:
Adams Elementary, Balboa, Franklin, Hamblen, Hutton Elementary, Libby Center, Logan, Madison, Moran Prairie, Mullan Rd, Wilson, Woodridge, Sacajewea MS, Spokane Public Montessori
West Valley School District:
Ness, Orchard Center, Pasadena Park, Seth Woodard, Millwood, West Valley City School, Centennial MS
Private Schools:
Spokane International Academy, St. Aloysius Catholic School, St. Charles Catholic School, St. John Vianney Catholic School, Pioneer School