Myth Busted!

One of the cool things about being an Energy Efficiency Coordinator is learning something new everyday about saving energy and money. With all the resources available through SEE, I am finding out about ways to save not only at school and at home but as with today's energy thought, about how to save gas.

MYTH:  It is better to let your vehicle idle than turn the engine off – turning the engine back on uses more fuel than idling.

FACT:  Idling uses more fuel than turning off your engine and restarting it. As a rule of thumb, turn off your engine if you will be idling for more than 30 seconds. David Champion, Senior Director of Auto Testing for Consumer Reports, told the Alliance to Save Energy, "You should not turn your engine off at a traffic light. However, if you are stuck at a train crossing or bridge opening, and it is likely you are going to be parked for a number of minutes, you should turn off your engine."