'Idle-Free' will keep the state's air clean
With the end of the school year rapidly approaching, we are getting our last glimpse of the on-going line of school buses every morning and afternoon, idling their engines waiting to take the children home. However glad we are that there is public transportation, the continual air pollution that is caused by idling school buses and other diesel trucks is very drastic. Over the next three months, the air will be able to get a small reprieve from the particle pollution that is constantly being expelled from the exhaust of school buses and other vehicles; however, now is also the time that beach traffic will begin, and high ozone days are on the rise.
In Massachusetts, it is law that if your vehicle is stopped with the engine idling for more than five minutes, you can be presented with a $100 ticket. Idling vehicles add to the particle pollution that is causing more and more Massachusetts children to suffer from asthma.
The American Lung Association needs your assistance in improving the air quality of our state. During the school year, school busses are adding to particle pollution with their diesel engines running idle; but they are not the only source of this dangerous pollutant. Respect the environment, and the nearly 600,000 Massachusetts residents who are living with asthma and are having trouble breathing. Automatic starters may allow you convenience, and let your air conditioning run cool before you enter your car, but is it really worth contributing to air pollution, and affecting the lives of 600,000 people?
The American Lung Association of Massachusetts is introducing their new "Idle-Free" campaign, providing information on state idling laws, along with information and tips for you to use to help improve local air quality. "The American Lung Association of Massachusetts is very excited about our new "Idle-Free" campaign. We are hoping that we can reach more people and help raise awareness about the growing air-pollution problems within Massachusetts," said Jeffrey Seyler, CEO of the American Lung Association of Massachusetts. Help be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem. For more information on the Idle Free laws, or how to take action and make your school zone idle-free, visit www.lungma.org.
Beginning our second century, the American Lung Association is the leading organization working to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. Lung disease death rates continue to increase while other leading causes of death have declined. The American Lung Association funds vital research on the causes of and treatments for lung disease. With the generous support of the public, the American Lung Association is "Improving life, one breath at a time." For more information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call 800-586-4872 or log on to www.lungusa.org.
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