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Blogger: Cheryl Gudz

I’ve worked on the EcoAction Teams program for over three years, and I’ve learned that taking positive environmental action in my life is not only simple but contagious. I’m not an environmental scientist or engineer, just a concerned urban dweller who decided she needed to mesh all her passions with environmental work. I also love words and social commentary, so blogging is a good fit. Born and raised in friendly Manitoba, I live in Toronto with my trusty bicycle.

Blogger: Prabhjit Banga

Since being captivated by the cartoon movie FernGully at the age of five, Prabhjit (Prabh) Banga has been an avid supporter of green causes. Prabh has over four years of experience working in the environmental sector on diverse topics, including conservation, waste management and environmental education. She recently received a Master of Resource and Environmental Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Born and raised in Toronto with roots in India, Prabh loves to travel and discover new places!

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Like the tagline says, this blog is all about news, views and tips on living green. Read ‘em, share ‘em – we’re all in it together. Once you start doing a few things differently, it’s pretty hard to turn off that chip in your brain that says, “Should I be buying this? Should I be doing that?” Maybe it begins with remembering to bring your own bag when you go shopping, then suddenly you’re thinking about dual flush toilets, power bars, and energy efficient coffee makers before bedtime.

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27 June 2008 - 13:12Are Drive-throughs Through?

It may be the growing environmental awareness out there, it may be the gas prices, but car-centric attitudes are looking really dated these days.

Take drive-throughs for example; Waiting in your car with the engine running just to have food handed to you is convenient, but also pretty foolish and indulgent. Not only does the practice burn fuel wastefully, but the emissions pollute the air and the atmosphere.

Idling is so offensive these days, it’s kind of like what you’d expect the villain to do in a kids’ cartoon.

Cruella De Ville Idles

A man from Markham, Ontario decided to do something about his distaste for

drive-throughs. He and a colleague did an inventory of all the drive-throughs in town (29!) and clocked the average wait time for an idling car. Based on that information and a formula he borrowed to calculate fuel use and CO2 levels, he projected that over a year at all 29 drive-throughs in Markham, this adds up to 21,759,152 minutes of estimated total idling time, using 435,185 litres of fuel and releasing 118 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

What’s the easiest way to stop idling? Stop driving! But if you’re not quite there yet, there are plenty of things you can do when you operate a vehicle, to put an end to idling for good.

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