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Ann Arbor wants to end polluting practice of car idling

Ann Arbor may soon hand out tickets for leaving a car idling. 

Proponents of the ordinance say car idling adds to pollution and wastes energy. 

The ban wouldn't apply to cars sitting in traffic.  But Ann Arbor Energy Commission Chair Wayne Appleyard says a lot of times, people are idling their cars unnecessarily.

"You see people with vehicles, they park their car with the engine running and lock the door and go into a convenience store for ten minutes, because they don’t want to get into a hot vehicle or a cold vehicle," he says.  "And that’s just wasting energy for a little bit of comfort."

Appleyard says it’s one more way to reduce Ann Arbor’s energy use.  The city wants to cut its energy consumption by 30% by 2015, and cut residents’ energy use by 10%.

Tracy Samilton covers energy and transportation, including the auto industry and the business response to climate change for Michigan Public. She began her career at Michigan Public as an intern, where she was promptly “bitten by the radio bug,” and never recovered.