South Shore: Reducing Idling Will Boost Business
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowSouth Shore Clean Cities Inc. hopes to save businesses money and clean up the region's air through an effort aimed at reducing idling. Executive Director Carl Lisek says new tools will help determine how much money is being wasted. He calls the issue “low hanging fruit,” and says addressing it will improve quality of life in northwest Indiana.
July 24, 2013
News Release
Merrillville, Ind. — To reduce the economic and environmental impact of idling, or running an engine while a vehicle remains stationary, South Shore Clean Cities Inc. has launched a toolkit that aids in the reduction of idling for many vehicles.
Carl Lisek, executive director of South Shore Clean Cities, said IdleBox is a resource that provides information and solutions for light- and medium-duty vehicles typically used in urban-based fleets.
“Idlebox includes a variety of tools from the U.S. Department of Energy, such as fact sheets, signs, posters and idling calculators, to help fleets implement idling reduction,” said Lisek, who also is an executive at Purdue Research Park-based Legacy Environmental Services Inc.. “Reducing unnecessary idling can be easy to put into practice and often requires no, or little, financial investment.”
The IdleBox resources are available as ready-to-use print products or customizable templates at the Clean Cities' website, or by contacting South Shore Clean Cities at 219-644-3690. South Shore Clean Cities is an initiative of the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
The Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center reports that more than 685 million gallons of diesel fuel are wasted annually as heavy-duty trucks idle. With the price of diesel around $4 per gallon, idling costs more than $2 billion each year.
Additionally, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that burning a gallon of diesel fuel produces more than 22 pounds of carbon dioxide, although that total is reduced to about 20 pounds for biodiesel.
About South Shore Clean Cities Inc.
Designated as the 71st Clean Cities Coalition on June 15, 1999, South Shore Clean Cities Inc. was founded on the principle that motivated individuals working together for common goals best accomplish our nation's objectives. In almost 100 coalitions, government agencies and private companies voluntarily form partnerships that meet the objectives of improving air quality, developing regional economic opportunities and reducing the use of imported oil.
About Purdue Research Park
The Purdue Research Park, with four locations across Indiana, has the largest university-affiliated business incubation complex in the country. The park network is home to about 240 companies that employ 4,000 people and are located in West Lafayette, Indianapolis, Merrillville and New Albany.
Source: Purdue Research Park