Idle-Free VT About

Idle-Free VT is an ad hoc, non-profit, grassroots statewide campaign. Formed in 2006 by Wayne Michaud, its goal is to raise awareness of unnecessary vehicle idling (idling when not in traffic) and to get a Vermont state all motor vehicle idle-reduction law enacted. Idling affects our air quality and contributes to climate change.

Wayne Michaud, Director

David Polow, Lamoille County Coordinator and Advisor

Karen Glitman, Vermont Clean Cities Coordinator, Advisor

Tom Piper, Advisor

Jim Flint, Executive Director, Friends of Burlington Gardens, Advisor

Nadine Canter Barnicle, Canter Barnicle Communications, Advisor

Samuel H. Press, esq, Advisor

Denis Rydjeski, Political Chair of the Sierra Club, Vermont Chapter, Advisor

Bob Walker, SERG, Advisor

Idle-Free VT is a supported project of the Addison County Relocalization Network (ACoRN), Middlebury.

NOTE: Although "Idle-Free VT" is the official campaign name, being referred to as "Idle-Free Vermont" is acceptable.

Idle-Free VT gathers reference materials and consults with individuals from the following: Office of Energy Effiency Natural Resources Canada, Vermont Department of Environmental Protection (including the Air Quality Division of the Agency of Natural Resources), American Lung Association of Vermont, UVM Transportation Research Center, 10% Challenge, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Massachusetts American Lung Association. Idle-Free VT also gathers reference materials from the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Wayne Michaud took idling seriously in 2005 when he observed a family van idling at one of the Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD) recycling and waste disposal dropoff centers. The van needlessly idled on and on, for more than 10 minutes. This prompted him to write a letter to a local newspaper and to report his observation to CSWD. Wayne was pleasantly surprised when CSWD took his concern seriously, taking the initiative toward becoming an "Idle-Free" company, by instituting a no-idle policy for their vehicles and posting no-idle signs at all their dropoff centers.

Wayne decided to pursue the possibilities of an idle-free campaign for the area of Vermont he lives in after searching and discovering other idle-free cities and towns in Canada (Our neighbors to the north are way ahead of us on idle-reduction.) and the USA. These locations have no-idle street signs strategically placed and have enacted enforceable laws. In Vermont, there are other local, regional and statewide idle-free efforts. Among these are the 10% Challenge in Burlington, and Post Oil Solutions, in Brattelboro. In addition, Burlington has a municipal idle-reduction law (see Idling Facts page).

In late 2005, Wayne became a member of ACoRN, then a newly formed Middlebury post-carbon/localization group (and one of a growing number nationally). ACoRN was formed to address, in many ways, the interrelated issues of global warming and peak oil (the peaking of world oil production that will then be followed by a decline). In regular meetings with its members, Wayne was encouraged and inspired by helpful feedback about the idling campaign as it evolved.

Wayne discovered a very comprehensive idle-free campaign in Lenox, Massachusetts, organized by Rick Gregg, of the Lenox Environmental Committee. Rick also observed folks idling needlessly which, in 2001, spurred him to act. Support for the grassroots effort was built on contact with schools, "cornerstones" of the community (board of health, chamber of commerce, dept. of public works), flyer handouts and media coverage. The initative gained further credibility with grants and outside sponsors. One other important fact is that, unlike Vermont, Massachusetts has an idle-reduction law (see Idling Facts page). In 2004, the Lenox Selectboard officially designated Lenox "idle-free". But there remains an ongoing effort to raise an awareness of unnecessary idling in Lenox.

Wayne and his ACoRN supporters realized that the Lenox model could be applied to towns in Vermont and there were thoughts of campaigning in some Addison County towns. But then the idea of a farther reaching, statewide campaign that would feature a petition drive was thought of. Wayne had remembered participating in the "ironing board" actions of the INFACT GE Boycott of the 1980s--with the successful result of getting GE out of the nuclear weapons business. This nationwide grassroots campaign utilized petitioning actions in public gathering locations. This was the basic model for Idle-Free VT's 2006 petition drive.

In its ongoing educational effort to make Vermont "idle-free", Idle-Free VT has gone on to be part of the legislative lobbying effort that led to enactment of the 2007 Vermont school bus idle-reduction law, and partnered with others on the Business Idle-Free effort to raise awareness about idling in the business community. In the summer and fall of 2008, the campaign's main focus is working with a coalition to start a funded Vermont Idle-Free campaign, working toward the 2009 Town Meetings to get an idling petition on the warning that would lead to town resolutions on idling, an Online Petition Drive aimed at the 2009 legislative session, and an ongoing presence in the media (op-eds, etc.).