in an effort to reduce the harmful emissions and wasted fuel from idling trucks and buses, clean air council has developed an innovative new
tool – idlefreephilly – that allows philadelphians to report when and where
they witness illegal idling. by logging on to www.idlefreephilly.org or calling a
toll-free number – 1-877-853-1552, residents will be able to help the city of philadelphia and community
leaders take action to target enforcement of the idling law, educate drivers,
and promote sustainable practices.

“philadelphia does not meet federal air quality standards, in large part due to diesel emissions from vehicles, said joseph minott,
executive director of clean air council. “diesel exhaust is extremely
carcinogenic and a major contributor to diseases such as asthma. idling
reduction is critical to improving the quality of the air we breathe.”

diesel particulate pollution is a significant contributor to climate change. black carbon (bc) is particulate matter released into the atmosphere as a result of
the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biomass, and biofuels. bc has been shown to be a significant climate forcing agent,
potentially contributing more to global warming than any other
greenhouse gas except carbon dioxide (co2). fossil fuel combustion (significantly diesel) contributes to 35% of bc emissions globally.

“because stationary sources are already heavily regulated, we need to turn to mobile sources to achieve additional reductions,” said nan
feyler, chief of staff, philadelphia department of public health.

idlefreephilly streamlines the reporting process, identifying idling hotspots and collecting valuable data that can be used to
target enforcement and provide education to drivers. idlefreephilly also facilitates
collaboration between residents, businesses, and environment and public health
agencies and helps communities to take responsibility for improving their
neighborhoods.

“idlefreephilly.org makes the entire city our partner to encourage parked trucks and buses to turn off their engines,” said donald shanis,
deputy executive director of the delaware valley regional planning commission.

idlefreephilly.org is built on the seeclickfix platform, a software tool that allows residents to report non-emergency problems by clicking
on the interactive map on the website or by calling 877-853-1552. philadelphia air management services, clean
air council and any other interested parties are automatically emailed when
someone reports an idling vehicle.