Local efforts or campaigns are a very essential way to raise awareness about unnecessary vehicle idling. These efforts can include a local or regional organization with a goal to raise awareness about idling specifically or as a component of a larger effort dealing with issues of transportation or energy conservation in a town or community. An effort, for instance, may seek to have a town's governmental authority pass or enact a town-wide resolution or ordinance, and/or to work with a school board to adopt an idling policy for vehicles other than school buses as part of Vermont's state law on school bus idling on school property.

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LISTING OF LOCAL EFFORTS

2008

STOWE
STOWE REPORTER, MARCH 27, 2008: "IDLING CARS TARGET OF STOWE EFFORT'
The Stowe Energy and Climate Action Network, a group of 15-20 people, in one of several initiatives, is educating members of the Stowe community to shut off their vehicle engines when parked. They are distributing pink notices (placing under windshield wipers of cars idling while parked) that say, "THANK YOU FOR NOT IDLING WHEN PARKED" along with a few bulleted points.

PLAINFIELD
STATUS: RESOLUTION ADOPTED MARCH 4, 2008
Robert Atchinson, Plainfield Energy Commissioner, encouraged by the action taken by SERG (Sustainable Energy Resources Group) to encourage the placing of idling resolutions on town meeting warnings, took the initiative to introduce a resolution to restrict vehicle idling at the Plainfield town meeting. Comments were generally positive and the resolution passed unanimously on a voice vote. While non-binding, the Selectboard has given permission for this information to be posted in the public venues of Plainfield. Congratulations, Bob!

NO-IDLE ARTICLE PETITIONS FOR VERMONT TOWN MEETINGS LOOKING FORWARD TO 2009 TOWN MEETINGS On January 11, 2008, Robert Walker of SERG (Sustainable Energy Resource Group) notified Town Energy Committee Organizers of a town meeting article petition to be placed on the town warning that is being circulated by the Thetford Energy Committee calling on the town to pass a no-idling resolution (not an ordinance, but that could later lead to signs posted in town and a policy for town vehicles). He suggested that they could feel free to adopt this for their own town. With a deadline approx. 40 days before town meeting and the need to get 5% of voter checklist signatures, time was short to achieve much. Most importantly and significantly, this initiative can be an effective vehicle idling awareness raising measure for future town meetings throughout the state. Click on the PETITIONS link above for a sample, downloadable town meeting petition that can be adapted for any town. Keep an eye on this as Idle-Free VT works with SERG and others to organize this effort for 2009.

MAGWAC--Middlebury Area Global Warming Action Committee is an ad hoc citizens group, led by coordinator Laura Asermily, that seeks to lessen carbon emissions in Middlebury which certainly has its share of vehicular congestion. A component of this initiative is to restrict vehicle idling. Their proposed idle-restriction policy is the same one that Idle-Free VT advocates as an all motor vehicle idling policy. On December 11, 2007, the Middlebury Selectboard unnanimously passed an idle-free resolution as recommended by MAGWAC. As part of the educational effort of this resolution, no-idle signs will be posted at strategic locations throughout the town. Report in the Addison Independent before passage: "Middlebury to mull car idling policy". December 18, 2007 news report on WCAX-TV channel 3 news about Middlebury's idling resolution, "No Idle Task".

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Idle-Free VT wants to hear about and list your local campaign!