B2
Breathe Better Air
An anti-idling/clean air campaign
What is B2?
The B2 (Breathe Better)
program is an anti-idling/clean air campaign. The goal of B2 is to help protect
the health and safety of children by reducing harmful vehicle emissions around
school campuses. Solutions involve the efforts of students, faculty,
administration, staff, local government and community partners working together.
Why is vehicle idling a problem?
Mobile sources such as personal vehicles, school buses and delivery trucks are major
contributors to air pollution in South Carolina. "Idling" means that a vehicle's
engine is turned on but the vehicle is not in motion.
Idling wastes about ½ mile worth of fuel every minute and releases many harmful
pollutants.
Idling = 0 miles per gallon
Why focus on school campuses?
Large numbers of vehicles idle on school campuses every day, during morning arrival
and especially during afternoon dismissal. Students, parents, teachers, and bus
drivers may all be exposed to higher levels of vehicle exhaust at these times. Additionally,
exhaust can be drawn into the school’s intake vents and accumulate inside the building.
Children are more sensitive to air pollution than adults because they breathe twice
as much, and their lungs are still developing. Pollutants from vehicle exhaust have
been linked to asthma, heart disease, certain cancers, and other respiratory diseases.
Asthma
is the most common chronic illness in children and a major cause of school absences.
What are schools doing about it?
Schools around the state are taking action by joining the anti-idling campaign.
Their actions include: enacting school
anti-idling policies
for school buses, parent drivers, and delivery trucks; posting
"no idling"
around the school campus; raising the
awareness
of the entire school community; and pursuing other
school projects
aimed
at improving air quality.
 |
Because of the health benefits of improved air quality, the B2 program received
a Children’s Environmental Health Recognition Award from the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) in 2006. |
For assistance please contact...
