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Saw a WalMart with a "No Ideling" sign in the parking lot.

Has anyone else noticed this?

Are they trying to promote greeness, or is there another reason for the signs?

Hi Chuck:

___That is interesting … Those signs are not up at the WalMart/Sam’s Club here in Gurnee, IL. but hopefully they will be soon?

___This reminds me of a story from a few years ago about Europe’s “Green” consciousness. A friend of mine at work (Phil G) was on vacation driving a diesel VW Eurovan of some sort with his family of 7 across much of Western Europe. Somewhere in I believe it was Switzerland, they stopped to either buy trinkets from a particular store or go to the bathroom. Something like that? Anyway, Phil was pulled over on the curb and the Eurovan was idling w/ the A/C on while the rest of the family piled out and went into this store. He said a few minutes after they had all egressed, an older gentleman started angrily knocking on the passenger side window! Phil was like what??? He rolled the window down and the guy replied in whatever language, xxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xx xxx … Phil replied “English” and the guy replied in broken “English”, “Stop idling your car because it is polluting”! He was ticked by the way Phil described that encounter. His wife is one her second FEH by the way and I have a feeling that single incident some years ago had everything to do with it.

___That story really comes home to roost nowadays but not so much with the SMOG related emissions given most of our SI-ICE based autos are very clean but the GHG emissions and our almost out of control natural resource use with the peril our world faces for any number of reasons. You don’t know the hundreds of times I am sitting in a Stop and Crawl out on the Interstate looking around at the hundreds and thousands of cars and trucks ahead and behind all idling away going nowhere. I think what in the H@#( is everybody here doing all the while I am ICE-Off coasting down an overpass or ICE-Off waiting for the buffer to build before I re-ignite to begin a LS P&G … While sitting at long stop lights, I have been so tempted to scream to those around to turn off their G@# D$*%)# engines because they are simply throwing it away going nowhere … I do not know the future but when the US finally does become engaged with something like reduced oil consumption or emission reduction, we may see more of what Phil experienced in Europe and rightfully so!

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Yes, Walmart has recognized the need to be "greener" more than once already. I believe that Al Gorte praised Walmart for its efforts several times too... Anyhow, here is one example: Article 1 (http://planetsave.com/ps_mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7507&Itemid=1)

At least they appear to be trying.

MS

Well it's not surprising, really. Wal Mart is all about efficiency for the purpose of making more money. Generally, being green and being efficient go hand in hand. Thus, if they can make more money by being green, they're all over it. I believe they're one of the leading proponents of FE increases for long-haul trucking too since lower cost of distribution equates to more profits. Often times greed really is compatible with social responsibility in a roundabout way.

Haven't seen any signs here in GA either.

About idleing-
Now granted I take some extreme FE measures as many other people here. I park on a five level, three block long garage. When I arrive I enter in level #3 on the top of a hill and drive up one level on a hot engine, drive the three lots across (FAS most of the way) and face out.

As I parked one day a car nearby remotely started.
Since I don't use AC I have a few things to do in the parkng lot B4 going into work. I put my sox/shoes on, change into a work shirt, remove the towel on my seat backrest and dump the ice bucket. I take a quick look at the front and remove dead bugs if I have the time.
It takes about 5-7 minutes until I leave my car for the building.

This remote-started car was still idleing when I got to the stairs. Guess it was to run their air conditoiner in a car that is parked for +8hrs in 100% shade?
Couldn't help but think how much of a waste that is. :(

BTW I save alot of fuel parking like that.
I start a cold engine, put in D and nudge enough to switch into N, roll across 3 lots, down one level and shut off at the gate. Restart again, go to D to nudge again then switch to N.
Roll down a shallow hill back across the front of the parking deck before going back to D and driving off.

That's about .3 mile of ~50MPG of warmup vs mid teens!:rolleyes:

Hi Steve:
About idling - Now granted I take some extreme FE measures as many other people here.
___Wasting fuel because one can is an “extreme” disservice to our children, our country, as well as planet. Those that decide to throw away a limited natural resource like the guy/gal you described are the ones who are extreme in my book.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Saw a WalMart with a "No Ideling" sign in the parking lot.


That's exactly what I had thought of and considered proposing to the management at the grocery store I work at. Every day without exception, I see people get out of their cars (mostly trucks) and walk in to the store. Not just for a few quick items, but some leave their cars idling for as much as 20 minutes, some even unattended, easy targets for theft. And now that the temperatures are up into the 80's and 90's, they leave the AC on while shopping leaving giant puddles of condensation under the cars.

And this particular location is a real waste for that. The entrance to the parking lot is a long downhill with no stops that can easily bring my exactly 1 mile commute from ~68mpg to 80+ by the time I come to a rest in my spot away from the store, back to the sun, in the shade.

I'd love to play the idling police except I know if I ever mentioned to anyone the harm their idling does I would be met with angry customers talking to my manager.

Wonder if the sign applies to the refrigerated delivery trucks as well?

The worst offenders I know of are the tour buses. I constantly see them parked around L.A. waiting for their tourists to reboard and of course they leave the engine on so the bus will stay air conditioned for them. :confused:

I remember while living in Germany 15 years ago that they were really on a Green kick. They had just passed anti-idling rules and even had traffic lights installed that would indicate when drivers were to start up their engines again (no idling at stop lights at major intersections allowed). Their recycling programs make ours look like a joke. You pay a monthly fee for a waste can deemed appropriate for your household. People would remove plastic windows from envelopes! A garbage can the size of an office wastebasket would last a single person 2 weeks because virtually everything was recycled. To top it all off was the fact that the garbage men were also the "recycling police". If you threw out anything that was to be recycled you'd get a fine. Amazing!