Making Sense and Saving Cents

Have you ever driven or walked around the Mahar campus and noticed signs that discourage idling? I am not certain when these signs were put up – but they make sense and save cents at the same time. Parents and guardians who are picking up their students from school should pay close attention to these signs, not only because turning off the engine in a car that is standing still saves money and the environment, but because it is now a law.

Recently I was told that schools are now required to have signage that informs those in waiting cars around the school that there are fines associated with idling for more than five minutes. Apparently sitting at the side of a road with a car engine running can mean a fine of $100.00 for the first offense if ticketed by an officer of the law. School officials will not be issuing tickets or fines around Mahar, but will continue to abide by the requirement that signs appear around the school.

I know that this new law is in effect for many reasons. While it saves money for the individual consumer, it diminishes the amount of gasoline that is being burned at the same time. It also lowers emissions from automobiles – which improves our air quality and who could complain about that? I believe that this law is in place to call upon citizens to continue to be mindful about how our acting locally can have a global impact.

*Please accept today’s post as a request for Mahar parents, bus drivers, employees, and student drivers to abide by this new mandate.