A small change in routine can make a meaningful difference for local air quality and student health.
Clark County’s Department of Environment and Sustainability is running “Turn Your Key, Be Idle Free in Clark County,” an anti-idling campaign focused on reducing unnecessary vehicle idling around schools. The goal is simple: encourage families to turn off their engines while waiting during pick-up and drop-off to help reduce harmful pollution where children gather every day.
Reducing idling is about more than fuel savings. It is also about health. Children are especially vulnerable to air pollution from vehicle exhaust because their lungs are still developing, and they breathe more air relative to their body size than adults. Remember: if you have to wait for more than 10 seconds, turning off the engine can reduce pollution exposure and cut unnecessary fuel use.
A school-centered campaign with practical tools
The campaign is designed for the people who can make the biggest difference right away: parents, guardians, and families of CCSD students, along with educators and school staff. To support participation, DES is leading:
Educational outreach, including multimedia resources, bilingual Spanish materials, and a pledge for parents and guardians to commit to reducing idling
Classroom integration, with lesson plans on air quality and pollution, plus educator training
This approach is designed to meet people where they are. It combines school-based learning with everyday actions at pick-up and drop-off, so students, caregivers, and staff can all be part of the solution.
Safety comes first
Clark County also recognizes an important reality: weather matters. In extreme heat or cold, student safety must come first.
That is why the campaign includes guidance on when idling may be appropriate based on weather and safety conditions. The goal is not to apply a one-size-fits-all rule, but to reduce unnecessary idling whenever possible while keeping students safe and comfortable.
County air quality tour with Burkholder students
An early milestone for the campaign took place in February, when eighth-grade students from Burkholder Middle School visited the DES’s air quality labs.
Students toured the labs and received a career presentation from the Department team. They also got to see how air quality professionals use instruments, laboratory equipment, and samples in their work.
The goal was to introduce students to careers in air quality, show how STEM connects to real-world community health issues, and make science feel hands-on and engaging. It also helped connect the campaign’s message to the school community in a tangible way.
Along with Burkholder Middle School, this campaign is being strengthened through collaboration with Clinicians for Climate Action and Johnston STEM Academy.
As the campaign moves forward, the Department will track progress through the number of anti-idling pledges collected, observed reductions in idling behaviors, and feedback from participants and educators. The long-term vision also includes advocating for idling reduction policies within the Clark County School District
Turning off your engine while waiting may seem like a small action, but across the community, it can add up to cleaner air and healthier spaces for kids.
