CARLMONT HIGH SCHOOL - Belmont, CA - Sequoia Union High School District

Carlmont Green Team club - Advisor: Jarrod Harrison; Leader: Aran O'Sullivan, senior, Co-President of club

 

Step 1: introductory session conducted 10/10/22 and Green Team prepares campaign against vehicle emissions

 

Step 2: initial data collection conducted for three days at school afternoon dismissal on 11/18, 11/21, 11/22

Average temperature: 63 degrees

Total vehicles observed: 28; total vehicles idling: 25 (89%); total hours of idling: 2.1

Amount of fuel consumed*: .903 gal/three days / .301 gal/per day average

Amount of fuel consumed annually (est.) - based on 175 day school year: 52.67 gal

Amount of CO2 emissions annually (est.) - based on 175 day school year: 1,053 lbs**

 

Step 3: school supports idle-free campaign: School Principal message to the school community, 2/13/23

 

Step 4: driver contact event: 4/21 and 4/24, and school installs two idle-free zone signs

 

Step 5: final data collection conducted for three days at school afternoon dismissal on 5/31, 6/1, 6/2

Average temperature: 62 degrees  FINAL DATA COLLECTION DETAILS

Total vehicles observed: 100; total vehicles idling: 19 (19%); total hours of idling: 1.86

Amount of fuel consumed*: .8 gal/three days / .266 gal/per day average

Amount of fuel consumed annually (est.) - based on 175 day school year: 46.55 gal

Amount of CO2 emissions annually (est.) - based on 175 day school year: 931 lbs**

 

BEFORE & AFTER IDLING DIFFERENCE: 78.5% REDUCTION (relative to the number of vehicles observed and gallons

of fuel consumed - initial vs final measuring)

 

COMMENTS: Three pick up areas monitored. For initial data collection, the low number of vehicles observed can be attributed to measuring

during Thanksgiving week. If initial data collection matched the 100 vehicles in final data collection, the annual difference in gas

consumed would be 188 gallons; in CO2 emitted it would be 3.763 lbs. (1.88 tons).

 

CARLMONT HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL COMMENT, October 2023:

[Re: idle-free school campaign at Carlmont High School, 2022-2023 school year] "I am so proud of the Carlmont Green Team for their work with Green Driving America. The Green Team is a 100% student organized and student led club on our campus. The students took the initiative last year to work with Green Driving America on the Idle Free Zone campaign. The students did action research and counted cars at drop off and pick up that sit on our campus in idle. Thanks to their efforts, we were able to publish some data out to our campus community about the impact of idling in cars while waiting. We now have two Idle Free Zones on campus. In addition, their work with Green Driving America in general, and with Idle Free Zones in particular, laid the groundwork for the Green Team to explore other community focused organizations to improve the environmental sustainability of our campus. We are currently working with another non-profit on building more green spaces on campus, that serve pollinators, and even that produce herbs, fruits and greens to donate to local community pantries."

- Ms. Gay Buckland-Murray, principal, Carlmont High School, Belmont, CA

 

*Amount of fuel consumed based on passenger vehicle — car/SUV/pickup truck — idling consumption of 0.43 gal/hr.

**Amount of CO2 emitted based on one gallon of fuel consumed equaling 20 pounds of CO2 emitted (gasoline - 19.64 pounds; diesel - 22.38 pounds)

 

STEP 1: Green Team prepares campaign against vehicle emissions