| ding to the World Wildlife Fund, by 2050, polar bears | | | | On average, Canadian motorists idle their vehicles five |
| are likely to be extinct in Canada’s southern | | | | to ten minutes per day. A recent study suggests that |
| Hudson Bay region – and our driving habits may | | | | in the peak of winter, Canadians idle their vehicles for a |
| be partially to blame. | | | | combined total of 75 million minutes per day – |
| Seemingly harmless driving practices, such as | | | | equivalent to one vehicle idling for 144 years. The |
| unnecessary idling (idling produces more emissions per | | | | Sierra Club of Canada reports that in one summer |
| minute than driving), cause increased carbon dioxide | | | | day, Canadian cars idle for a total of 46 million minutes. |
| (CO2) emissions. These gases become trapped in the | | | | If every Canadian motorist avoided idling for just five |
| Earth’s atmosphere and are a major cause of | | | | minutes per day, more than 1.6 million tonnes of CO2 |
| global warming. | | | | would not enter the atmosphere. |
| Early springs impact ice-dependent bears | | | | Polar bears aren’t the only victims |
| “In large part due to climatic warming, sea ice in | | | | Air pollution caused by other tailpipe emissions is |
| the polar basin has been declining at a rate of about | | | | considerable – 75% of air pollution in |
| 9% per decade (an area roughly about the size of | | | | B.C.’s Lower Mainland, for example, comes |
| Alaska) for the last few decades,” says Dr. Ian | | | | from vehicles – and it can make people more |
| Stirling, Senior Research Scientist with the Canadian | | | | susceptible to respiratory diseases such as asthma, |
| Wildlife Service. | | | | the most common chronic respiratory disease of |
| “In Western Hudson Bay, the breakup is now | | | | children. According to the BC Lung Association, |
| about 3 weeks earlier on average than it was only 30 | | | | childhood asthma has quadrupled in the past two |
| years ago. As a result, in this region the bears are able | | | | decades and is now the number-one reason for |
| to feed less at the most important time of year (late | | | | hospital admissions among Canadian children. |
| spring – early summer) when freshly weaned | | | | And yet parents are unwittingly contributing to air |
| seal pups are most abundant.” | | | | pollution – a Toronto-based study revealed that |
| Could idling less make a difference? | | | | 35–45% of parents idle their vehicles while |
| Transportation is the single largest source of | | | | waiting to pick up their children from school! Traffic |
| greenhouse gas emissions in Canada, accounting for | | | | areas around schools often show significantly higher |
| 30% of Canada’s total CO2 emissions. The | | | | pollution levels outside and inside their buildings. |
| family car contributes about half that amount. | | | | |