Those of you old enough to remember the heartwarming film E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial (released in 1982, in case you were wondering) will recall the famous line in which E.T., upon learning what a telephone is (that would be a landline; it’s 1982), says longingly, “E.T. phone home!”
What was adorable almost 40 years ago is dangerous today. Now that everyone, including extra-terrestrials, owns a cell phone, talking and texting whenever/wherever we want has become a national pastime. Which has serious implications when we’re in a motor vehicle. And not just for potential accidents on the road.
People used to start their engines, put the car in gear, and drive. Today, people start their cars and let them idle for 10-15 minutes (or far longer) while they busily scroll on their phones. How does this expulsion of fossil fuel affect our climate?
According to one source, “when a car’s engine is running, several different types of gasses and particles are emitted that can have detrimental effects on the environment. Of particular concern to the environment are carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas; hydrocarbons — any of more than a dozen volatile organic compounds, some of which are known carcinogens; nitrogen oxides; sulfur oxides; and particulate matter, tiny particles of solids, such as metal and soot. Other emissions that affect human health and create smog include ozone and carbon monoxide.”
These pollutants can aggravate existing conditions such as asthma or lung diseases — or even contribute to the cause of these disorders.
As an environmentally friendly spill clean up and spill containment business, Impact Absorbents is aghast (not a-gassed) by such noxious news. And we do our part every day to protect both people and planet.
Since we’re talking about vehicle emissions, one way to keep your car, truck, or fleet of maintenance vehicles healthy is with Safe Solutions Fuel Tank Breather, which helps prevent corrosion and fuel contamination, costly yet avoidable problems. The Safe Solutions Tank Breather cleans and dries the air entering tanks by absorbing moisture and trapping dirt particles and other contaminants before they can enter your vehicle.
That’s one pollution solution you can count on. Now we’re counting on you to do your part, and phone home (or text) with the engine off. Yes, it might be a tad warm or cool, depending on the weather, without the car’s climate controls keeping the interior comfy. But you’ll be helping to preserve the larger climate outside your vehicle, which is an irreplaceable source of hospitable environments for all living beings.
