Mayo County Council encourages schools to join in clean air week

Mayo County Council, in collaboration with Green-Schools, is inviting all schools in Mayo to participate in an exciting and impactful competition as part of annual An Taisce’s Clean Air Week. The week, running from November 25-29, aims to raise awareness about the dangers of engine idling and to encourage positive action for cleaner air and a healthier environment. 

Engine idling is any time your car engine is running, but you’re not moving, usually for more than ten-20 seconds, for example waiting outside school, or at a red light.

Running a car without moving is wasteful and harmful, with ten seconds of idling using more fuel and produces more emissions than restarting the engine. 

Other key reasons to say no to engine idling include the release of harmful greenhouse gases, the decline of air quality, wasting fuel, and more.

Schools are encouraged to run a No Idling Campaign using Green-Schools' No Idling Toolkit. 

This toolkit provides resources and guidance on how to effectively address the issue of engine idling. As part of the campaign, schools in Mayo are invited to design a poster that urges drivers to turn off their engines. The poster must be an A4-sized portrait and should creatively convey the message of switching off engines to protect our environment and health. 

Email your scanned poster to climateaction@mayococo.ie with the subject line: No Idling Campaign Competition. 

Include the name of your school, the pupil’s name, class, and a contact person at the school. 

All entries must be submitted by 3pm on Tuesday, November 19 

Winners will be announced on November 25, with the winning schools receiving a €100 prize, and the winning posters design will be printed and distributed on November 27. 

For more information, see the Mayo County Council website.