Motorists in East Dunbartonshire are being urged to turn off their car engines when parked, in a bid to help us all breathe easier.
The Breathe Easier campaign kicked off outside St Matthew’s Primary School in Bishopbriggs, where an adbike trailer was parked outside the school gates displaying a poster encouraging motorists to turn off their car engines when stationary. Throughout the morning Environmental Health Officers patrolled the area, distributing leaflets and talking to parents and carers about the benefits of turning off their engines when their cars were stopped.
By turning off our engines we can be healthier, save money and protect the environment. Cutting our engines reduces pollutants that are known to damage our health, can lower our fuel costs and protects us all from the harmful gasses that contribute to climate change.
Over the next two weeks the adbike will travel across the East Dunbartonshire area, promoting the campaign outside schools at both drop off and pick up times each day. In addition, Radio Clyde will be broadcasting messaging from the Council, asking motorists to switch off when stopped.
Convener of Place, Neighbourhood & Corporate Assets, Councillor Paul Ferretti, joined pupils at St Matthew’s Primary to launch the campaign. He said, “The aim of the campaign is to remind motorists of the benefits in turning off car engines when stationary. It is particularly important around schools as children are more likely to suffer from respiratory problems caused by car fumes, so we are appealing to parents and carers dropping off and picking up at the school gates to help the youngest, most vulnerable members of our communities, breathe easier on their way to and from school.”
He added, “We all want to help protect the environment from harmful gasses that cause climate change, and cutting our engines helps. And in this current financial climate, switching off our engines saves us money. We waste less fuel by turning off our car engines and turning them back on again, than we do if we sit with them running.
“The Breathe Easier campaign is running for two weeks but our message is the same all year round - please turn your car engine off when you are stopped so we can all breathe easier.”
You can find out more about the Breathe Easier campaign on the vehicle emission page on our website.