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IDLE-FREE September-blitz begins in Halifax with first of five schools

Parents, staff & students join Ron Zima (CCAN) and Fusion Print’s Colin Anderson, declaring Sir Charles Tupper School IDLE-FREE

The Children’s Clean Air Network is expanding its matchmaking between business and schools across Halifax. Five schools have pledged to go “idle-free” this month with local businesses sponsoring and investing in signs and various promotional items.

Sir Charles Tupper School was the first school to launch this week, thanks to the generous support of Fusion Print & Imaging.

“I used to have acute asthma when I was a kid. Back then, maybe one or two kids in a class had asthma. Now, kids everywhere have it. Getting the word out on cutting out needless vehicle exhaust is important to us,” says Colin Anderson, of Fusion Print & Imaging.

The entire school was on-hand at an assembly to give us a rousing kick-off to the campaign. Business sponsors invest in IDLE-FREE traffic signs, bumper stickers, a large banner, IDLE-FREE buck hand-outs and incentives for students to create artwork used for future IDLE-FREE bucks.

For your own supply of IDLE-FREE bucks (to give to other motorists) or your own non-permanent stick IDLE-FREE bumper sticker, send your request and contact information to: rzima@accesswave.ca.

Halifax school buses gearing for 100K savings and cleaner air for kids

Stock Transportation, the company that transports students across the Halifax Regional School Board system, is stepping up its partnership with The Children’s Clean Air Network to cut idle-time across its fleet of 263 buses.

Double-click on the image below to hear General Manager Brian Hackett's assessment of the progress so far.


The company figures it will easily save $100,000 dollars to its bottom line and eliminate several hundred tons of CO2 and other pollutants.

“$100,000 dollars is pretty conservative. We think we’ll be able to save even more by coaching our drivers with the help of The Children’s Clean Air Network,” says Brian Hackett, General Manager of Stock Transportation.

“We’re using a soft-sell approach to reach our drivers on the importance of clean air to kids. For example, we’re putting ‘cut idle time’ decals next to each ignition switch and reminders with pay stubs. The Children’s Clean Air Network also helped us with key messages from teachers and students. Our drivers are responding very positively. We’re delighted,” Hackett said.

“We’re helping kids sell grown-ups on treating our air as if it were another landfill to avoid ,” says Ron Zima of The Children’s Clean Air Network. “The kids have the most to lose from poor air and the threat from climate change. When we position kids in front of adults on this, the adults respond.” Zima said.

Carmelita Rowe is the principal of Kingswood Elementary School and an advisor to The Children’s Clean Air Network. She says, “Our school bus drivers are considered close members of the school family. Drivers personally consider our students’ health and safety a priority. When they’re reminded of the impact that diesel exhaust has on students, we’re confident they’ll shut the buses off whenever possible.”

Ron Zima, The Children's Clean Air Network, Stock Transportation driver Wendy MacKay, General Manager Brian Hackett.

Family Expo IDLE-FREE success

The Children’s Clean Air Network was out in force at the “We Love Our Children” Family Expo this past weekend, the first IDLE-FREE event in Atlantic Canada. Conserve Nova Scotia was our main sponsor, and we greatly appreciated their support.

Teacher/ student volunteers had a great time handing out thousands of IDLE-FREE bucks and speaking with passersby. Our message was very well received by the crowd.

To experience our presence at the Expo, double-click on the first image above to view the short video featuring the kids talking about driving habits and the big picture regarding clean air and climate change. Most of what they say was from previous knowledge and what’s being discussed in school.

Double click the second image below to take a tour via the The Children’s Clean Air Network expo photo album.

Atlantic Canada's first IDLE-FREE event

The Children's Clean Air Network is delighted to be sponsored by Conserve Nova Scotia to make this years' "We love our children Family Expo" Atlantic Canada's first IDLE-FREE event!

What better place to educate and practice the habit of cutting out needless vehicle exhaust than at an event that celebrates the health and well-being of our most precious resource? For more information on the Expo, click on the image below.

Come visit us in booth #218 and watch for Children's Clean Air Network volunteers in their IDLE-FREE t-shirts handing out IDLE-FREE bucks. Hope to see you there!

Media coverage of The Children's Clean Air Network

Global News covers The Children's Clean Air Network launching another elementary school in Halifax to go IDLE-FREE.

Double-click on the image below to play the newscast report.

Media coverage of The Children's Clean Air Network

CTV News covers The Children's Clean Air Network launching another elementary school in Halifax to go IDLE-FREE.

Double-click on the image below to play the newscast report.