These Shoes Are Made for Walkin'

Maybe you've noticed the "No Idling- Little Lungs At Work" signs newly peppered around Peachtree Corners, strategically located near area schools, in car pool lanes and on surrounding streets. The signage, generously donated by Gwinnett County Commissioner Bert Nasuti and (gotta love Bert!) and the Riverfield Homeowners' Association, is a welcomed addition to our community.


With strong support from Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful, Simpson Elementary, Pinckneyville Middle and Norcross High have teamed together to implement The Clean Air Campaign’s No Idling Program.


This program encourages parents and drivers to turn off their car engines around our schools and in our neighborhoods in order to protect children’s lungs from the harmful effects of car exhaust and the particulate matter it contains. Every thirty minutes spent idling releases three to five pounds of pollution per car into the air around our school. Idling engines contribute to ground level ozone and particle pollution, two air pollutants that are especially harmful to school children since their lungs are still developing. Can you say smog alert and huge spike in childhood asthma?


Recognizing this serious health issue, Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful has incorporated the No Idling program into its education initiatives with the goal of reducing the number of vehicles idling at county schools by an average of thirty percent. We CAN do better than this, right? I certainly hope so, as my home is across the street from Simpson. Some parents park in my neighborhood and wait for their child to walk to the car, all the while letting the car run, spewing exhaust into, yes, you guessed it, my backyard. Would you like me to come over to your house and pour pollution into your backyard, while your children play, for a half-hour five days a week? I don't think so!


What I find most interesting is that during a serious gas shortage in our area, people continue to choose to idle their cars while waiting....wait, pollute, wait, waste gas, wait, lose money, wait, pollute some more. If you are sitting idle for more than 30 seconds, your car should not be idling. Hello people!! Wake up and smell the exhaust fumes!


Thankfully, our neighborhood was one of the very lucky recipients of one of the new, glorious "No Idling" signs, and I couldn't be happier. The timing of the signs meets the opportunity to participate in the International Walk to School Day next Wednesday, October 8th. Simpson and Pinckneyville are scheduled to participate. The team at Sustainable Peachtree Corners also approached area preschools for the first time this year, and we're proud to announce Mount Carmel, Simpsonwood UMC and Peachtree Corners Baptist will participate.


The goal of Walk to School Day is to encourage children and families to walk to school together, promoting community, health, physical activity and concern for our environment and air quality. And, just because it's called Walk to School day, doesn't mean you couldn't ride your bikes (especially if your trip is a little farther). My daughters and I will walk my oldest to preschool that morning, and after drop-off, we'll continue over to the CSA pick-up, hang out for a couple of hours, pick her back up and head home. It will be a five-mile round trip walk and if we're feeling especially ambitious, we may just head up to the Forum for lunch.

Thank you to Principal Bron Gayna Schmit and the Simpson PTA for backing this program and making it a priority! With their leadership on clean air solutions and healthy kids, all of Peachtree Corners will be able to breathe a little (or a lot!) easier :)

Get your walkin' shoes ready!
~Robin~

Sustainable Peachtree Corners: Positively promoting green, sustainable living for those who work, live and play in the Peachtree Corners community.

Photo courtesy of Sustainable Dunwoody and FoodShed Planet.