Tip of the Week

Clear the Air

Diesel exhaust from school buses contains asthma-triggering particulates and 40 microscopic chemicals that the Clean Air Act classifies as hazardous air pollutants.

Keeping the air clean is especially important for children--pound for pound, they breathe in more air and more pollutants than adults. You can reduce the problem by lobbying to bring new technologies to your school, like the propane-powered buses developed by Blue Bird Corporation, which eliminate particulates and can halve fuel costs, among other benefits. Diesel buses may also be retrofitted with technologies like diesel particulate filters; for a complete list of verified technologies, see the EPA's website.

If your school district doesn't yet have the resources to make big changes, you can still cut your emissions by reducing idling outside of schools and motivating others to do the same. Turn off the car or put it on standby when waiting to pick up or drop off children, and encourage kids to walk or ride bikes whenever possible (if you're concerned about safety, talk to other parents in the neighborhood about having the kids bike together). You can also work with your school's PTA or PTSA to request a no-idling zone for buses. Airwatch Northwest's Anti-Idling Program has toolkits to help reduce idling in your school, including letters to parents and faculty members and a "No Idle Zone" sign to display in your parking lot.

For more on greening your child's school, see "Changing Schools" in the Fall issue of National Geographic Green Guide on newsstands now.

© The Green Guide, 2008

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