Idle-Free Policy Now in Place at USU

 Starting July 1, drivers on the Utah State University campus will be asked to turn their engines off while not moving. In an April meeting, President Albrecht and the Executive Council approved the Sustainability Council’s proposal to make USU an “idle-free” campus in order to improve air quality on campus and in the local community.
 
Nat Frazer, Sustainability Council chair, said that engine technology has changed enough so that people need to also change their behavior.
 
“Some people think it’s necessary to ‘warm-up’ their car engines for several minutes, especially in cold weather, or that repeated starts will wear out their engine’s starter and off-set any fuel savings,” said Frazer. “But the modern engines in today’s vehicles don’t require extensive warm-up times and electronic starters last much longer than the old starters used to do.”
The proposal was initiated after staff members and students reported smelling engine exhaust in their offices and residence halls. Idling of gasoline and diesel engines contributes to the degradation of local air quality and may pose health risks to students, faculty, staff and visitors to campus.  Engine exhaust is particularly noticeable when vehicles idle their engines near air intakes of buildings.  
 
“We all become aware of air quality issues during Cache Valley’s winter inversions, but engine exhaust can effect indoor air quality throughout the year,” Frazer said.  “When cars or trucks idle near the fresh air intake for one of USU’s buildings, people inside can smell the exhaust they’re breathing.”
 
The idle-free initiative will be implemented as an educational process as offenders will not be issued tickets or fines.  A cadre of students, faculty and staff will be trained under the auspices of the Sustainability Council to approach drivers of idling vehicles in a non-confrontational, courteous and respectful manner.  They will inform drivers of USU’s idle-free policy, provide information on the benefits of having an idle-free campus and distribute educational information such as a pamphlet or a “cling” sticker.
 
The policy will be in place at the Logan, Tooele, Vernal, Roosevelt, Brigham City, Price and Blanding campuses and is in full compliance with HB 104 which was passed during the most recent session of the Utah Legislature.
 
The integration of the idle-free policy is another example of USU’s commitment to sustainability. Recently, the university was recognized as a Tree Campus USA, installed a thermal energy storage tank to reduce energy demands and added more hybrid vehicles to its fleet.
For more information about the idle-free policy, visit the sustainability website.