Being Idle Free is Easy
Just turn the key

History of Idle Free in Utah

Utah Clean Cities Coalition (UCCC) launched the very first Idle Free campaign in 2006, with the help of a Department of Energy (DOE) Educational Grant, and in association with The National Energy Foundation (NEF), the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), and with support from the National School Board Association (NSBA).

The Idle Free message was so well-received, that by 2008, it was incorporated into the Bus Driver Training Curriculum across the state. In 2009, Idle Free expanded further when UCC led kick-off campaigns for 65 schools in Salt Lake City and Salt Lake. By 2010, the campaign blossomed into a statewide focus when Governor Gary R. Herbert declared the month of September as “Idle Free Awareness Month.”

Since 2010, over 76 mayors and 450 schools throughout Utah have joined the Idle Free effort. Support from students, teachers, principals, school bus drivers, private businesses, local chambers of commerce, cities and the State of Utah have made the campaign an overwhelming success!

IDLE FREE RESOURCES

Download Idle Free Materials

Choose Blue Skies for Utah!

Click below to access Utah Clean Cities Coalition full list of Idle Free materials download and purchase options.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Utah Idle Free Ordinances

Learn about statewide and county Idle Free Ordinances which prohibit unnecessary vehicle idling over two minutes.

LEARN MORE

With the generous support from our stakeholders, Utah Clean Cities Coalition has distributed over 50,000 Idle Free decals and more than 1,000 permanent outdoor Idle Free signs to date.

Idle Free Today

September 1, 2021, Governor Cox signed the 14th Annual Anniversary Idle Free Declaration with over 70 City Mayors signing, all recognizing and establishing the importance of Idle Free practices.

UCCC continues working with communities to encourage drivers to turn off their vehicles when idling for more than 10 seconds. In recent years, the Idle Free campaign has been incorporated and adapted by other organizations—including cities, schools, businesses and air quality organizations. UCCC has also enjoyed working with groups outside the state, including other Clean Cities Network coalitions, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Argonne National Laboratory.

See What Others are Doing

Intermountain Healthcare joined with Utah Clean Cities in 2021 to create a new Idle Free signage for their campuses. This partnership with serve to remind patients and visitors to Turn the Key, Be Idle Free in Idle Free Zones at drop-off and pick-up areas on the Intermountain Healthcare campuses. The new signs hold an image of the most important citizen in Utah- a child.
The Utah Department of Health created the Utah Asthma program to provide resources on topics such as recess guidance for teachers. The Guidance takes into account students with respiratory symptoms or pre-existing respiratory conditions who may be more sensitive to poor air quality than their peers.
Breathe Utah has experience and expertise in scientific, medical, legal, and communications aspects of air quality in Utah. They seek real and practical solutions to Utah’s air quality problem. To accomplish this they increase awareness and engagement among youth and adults, implement projects to directly improve air quality, and promote sound policies.
Utah Clean Air Partnership (UCAIR) has been a long-standing partner for with Utah clean air advocacy and a strong supporter with Utah Clean Cities in our work with clean transportation solutions and strategies. UCAIR funded many of the first signs and window clings in the early years of Idle Free and continue to support Idle Free in their winter campaigns.
Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment with Torrey house Press created a beautiful soft-bound chapbook called Breathing Stories: Utah Voices for Clean Air.
Recently the Utah Department of Environmental Quality released a Air Quality App, reviewing Utah air daily. Download the app through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store- the Application is called UtahAir