News Release: 4/23/2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 22 2024-Glen Ellyn, Illinois 

“Engines Off!” Clean Air Initiative in Glen Ellyn Seeks to Reduce Engine Idling Near Schools 

League of Women Voters of Glen Ellyn is teaming up with schools and local community groups to raise awareness of air pollution from engine idling

You may notice some lawn signs and car magnets in the area telling residents: “Engines Off For Kids’ Health.” The League of Women Voters of Glen Ellyn (LWVGE) is teaming with local schools and community groups this spring, creating a campaign aiming to reduce the amount of air pollution produced by idling car engines in school car lines. Idling is running a vehicle's engine when not in motion. The kick-off for the campaign is Earth Day, Monday April 22nd and it includes all five District 41 schools: Hadley, Lincoln, Franklin, Forest Glen and Churchill.

“We wanted to target schools as children are more susceptible to air pollution because they take roughly two times more breaths per minute than adults,” says Jennifer Greenwalt, chair of the League of Women Voters of Glen Ellyn Environmental Committee. She added, “breathing exhaust fumes is linked to increases in asthma, allergies, heart and lung disease, and cancer. Reducing idling at schools can reduce children’s exposure to toxic vehicle exhaust,” Greenwalt concluded.

The League’s Anti Idling Task Force has been working on this campaign since fall. According to Amy Hohulin, Chair of the task force, “We approached district administration, school principals and each school’s PTA to get buy-in to the plan, and asked each school to take an active role in orchestrating the program.”  Hohulin continued, “We created a tool kit for each school that included talking points for school newsletters, social media graphics, fact sheets for families, lawn signs and car magnets, among other elements.” 

Beside D41 schools, the League is also partnering with the Glen Ellyn Park District and Go Green Glen Ellyn to provide support and  help communicate the mission. The group plans to expand the program to other Glen Ellyn schools, including pre-schools.

The campaign’s request to parents or other caregivers in the car line is to 1) Turn your vehicle off if you need to wait more than 10 seconds; 2) Avoid idling at schools to reduce children's exposure to toxic vehicle exhaust; 3) To warm or cool your car in extreme weather, limit idling to five minutes; 4 ) Walk or bike to neighborhood schools; and 5) Take the bus or carpool as much as possible.  For more information on the campaign, please visit lwvge.org/cleanair

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Photo included, permission granted to use

The League of Women Voters is  a nonpartisan political organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy. The League welcomes new members and civic minded community members to its public meetings and candidate forums.  For more information,  visit lwvge.org.

For more information contact:   
Karin Daly, VP Communications LWVGE     info@lwvge.org