Idle Off Project launches

A college project has been launched in Australia and New Zealand to help students and schools understand the damage idling internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles can do to health and the benefits zero-emission EVs can bring in that regard.

The Idle Off Project has been co-founded by Victoria-based EV charging solutions provider EVUp director Emma Sutcliffe, University of Queensland air pollution and health impacts doctoral candidate Clare Walter, Mov3ment e-mobility consultant Nathan Gore-Brown, and Australian Electric Vehicle Association (AEVA) president Chris Nash.

It is promoted by the AEVA in Australia and the Better NZ Trust in New Zealand, endorsed by the Lung Foundation, Doctors for the Environment Australia and Healthy Futures – among others.

Sutcliffe says it’s mostly coincidental the co-founders come mainly from the EV sector as she contacted Walter and Gore-Brown after trading stories about “running around the school car park telling drivers to turn their engines off while parked”.

The project encourages measurement of air pollution around schools and to improve the health of students, staff, visitors and the planet.

“The cars we drive everyday contribute to half of Australia’s transport emissions,” Sutcliffe says.

“These cars are all around us – at home, shops, playgrounds, parks and in our schools.

“An idling (ICE) car releases particulate matter – tiny airborne particles that get into our lungs and bloodstream, contributing to diseases such as respiratory infection, lung cancer and heart disease.”

Project co-founders says experts estimate vehicle emissions contribute to 1715 Australian and 399 New Zealand deaths annually – more than the road crash toll in each country.

“Students are most exposed to particulate matter on their way to and from school, so the Idle Off Project aims to raise awareness about this threat to student health,” they say.

The free online resource uses downloadable project sheets.

The project can be completed by individuals or a group over a few weeks or several months.

EVUp

and partner company EVolution Australia believe sustainable business practices and a strong focus on local and planet-first initiatives are priorities in achieving cleaner cities and a brighter future.

Its Melbourne HQ is completely powered by the sun, along with onsite EV charging.

“Our 15kW solar system has been designed to power all workshop and office activities, as well as supply EV charging power via a dual port ChargeAmps AURA which is free to use,” EVUp says.

“We live and breathe EVs. Most of our team use EVs as our daily drive. All of our team have driven a range of EVs to better understand drivers’ needs and the nuances of battery powered transport.”

Contact Emma Sutcliffe on 0409 040 499 (+61 from New Zealand) or at hello@idleoff.com.au

for more information.