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Green Energy Times' catchphrase is: Be Energy Independent! They back that up themselves by being 100% solar-powered, off the grid with a 3.8 kW PV system. G.E.T. offers the most up-to-date and detailed information on energy in Vermont and beyond. Published by Nancy Rae Mallery out of Bradford, VT, G.E.T. is published bi-monthly and distributed around 85% of the state. It is offered for free at distribution locations, but subscription is available for home delivery. It is also available online.

And G.E.T. "gets" it when it comes to unnecessary vehicle idling, understanding the low-hanging fruit energy savings benefits of simply turning off the key, with ongoing coverage of the idling issue.

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CHAMPION RACE CAR DRIVER AVOIDS UNNECESSARY IDLING

Eric Williams of Hyde Park, VT is a champion race car driver. Among his successes are winning the 11th Annual Merchants Bank 150 in 2009, being "King of the Road" at the NAPA/Make-A-Wish feature in 2008, and winning the Vermont Governor's Cup in 2006 and 2007, all at Thunder Road, Barre, VT.

When Eric is not racing, he runs Eric's Auto Repair in Hyde Park. He is very knowledgeable about the mechanics of cars, especially engines.

When it comes to engine idling, Eric is smart about avoiding excessive idling when parked. He's fully aware that idling is wasteful and harmful: It's wasteful because idling gets you zero MPG. It's harmful because excessive idling can actually damage your engine components over time, including cylinders, spark plugs, and exhaust systems. Fuel is only partially combusted when idling because an engine does not operate at its peak temperature. This leads to the build up of fuel residues on cylinder walls that can damage engine components and increase fuel consumption.

Eric's recommendations:
In general, limit warm up idling - even in cold weather - to 30 seconds. That is enough time for oil to circulate throughout the engine. Warm up your vehicle by driving it slowly to moderately, allowing wheel bearings, steering, suspension and transmission to also warm up. In subfreezing weather, 30 seconds may still be all it takes, but Eric stresses safety first: make sure defrosting and defogging is adequate. What about near or below 0º? Let it idle one to three minutes. Just make sure the windshield is clear (but don't make the engine do all the work - scrape the windows). In general, avoid remote vehicle starters, which encourage excessive idling.

Once warmed up and in town, if parked, shut it off. Going into a convenience store for coffee while leaving your vehicle unattended? Don't let it run. It's against the law in Vermont to let a vehicle run while unattended in public.