Schools Are Not Drive-Thrus©
idle-free study/campaign,
fall 2025-spring 2026
Montpelier, Vermont
Washington Central Unified Union School District
Conducted by: Middle School's Seeking Social and Environmental Justice Group
Advisor: Steve Sheeler, 8th grade Social Studies teacher
This study/campaign was made possible thanks to funding by an anonymous Upper Valley foundation.
Step 1: introductory session conducted 10/10
Step 2: INITIAL data collection conducted for three days at school afternoon dismissal on 11/3, 11/4, 11/6
Average temperature: 45 degrees
Total vehicles observed: 70; total vehicles idling: 42 (60%); total minutes/hours of idling: 654/10.9
Amount of fuel consumed*: 5 gal/three days / 1.7 gal/per day average
Amount of fuel consumed annually (est.) - based on 175 day school year: 292 gal
Amount of CO2 emissions annually (est.) - based on 175 day school year: 5,850 lbs**
U-32 Student Data Collection Forms
Step 3: school supports idle-free campaign in the U-32 Middle & High School Newsletter, 12/5:
COMMENTS: STEVE SHEELER: The students and I held our driver contact event and had a great experience. A highlight was when one of our drivers stopped the students and had a great conversation about how our event changed her understanding of the impact of idling. She had shared that she thought it was ok to idle for up to five minutes, so she saw our signs and googled the question. I captured this conversation in one of the pictures (with the red car). We then handed her our informational flyer and confirmed what she learned through her search. I thought it was a really powerful moment.
*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 4: driver contact event conducted 4/29 and 4/30. Mr. Sheeler's 8th graders created idle-free posters in advance and displayed them at the event. The students talked with drivers during dismissal about the benefits of avoiding idling and offering idle-free information handouts and custom keychain incentives.
