It has been a long time, and while I have not been writing, I have been doing some work on my project. Is as much work as the earth needs? Sadly no. I have hit some roadblocks called the New York City Government. The Department of Transportation won’t put up the signs because there is an ordinance from 2012 to reduce sign clutter. Which apparently is more important than our dying earth. They said a school can put up their own signs, but won’t say who will enforce non city signs. Their suggestion, call 311 or video the idler and send in the ticket, and then make some money.

Yes, they give an incentive to send in idlers–you will make money (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/22/nyregion/they-earn-tens-of-thousands-by-turning-in-idling-trucks.html). However, that doesn’t really help the earth. If someone has idled or an hour and aren’t stopped, making $87.50 three months later has not helped the climate crisis.

Did you see? The IPCC gave the earth three years to turn this ship around. We have been talking about the hurting environment fifty years. Just as long as the New York City law against idling, and yet neither seem to be making a dent in actually helping our environment.

So back to the idling. I have not given up (though some days I feel like I should just lean into the denial and “oh well attitude” that most humans seem to have). I am working with my local council member who is still searching for the answer to the school idling issue. If it is up to the school to make or purchase their own signs and then enforce it, we are basically screwed. So we are worse off than we are now.

So please, tell your friends stop idling. Tell strangers to stop idling. The IPCC article states that humans have a something to gain by improving the environment for the first time, and how a healthy earth will mean healthier people. So maybe now, for people who were not motivated to help animals, trees or the oceans, they will be motivated to help themselves.