To be sure, it's been bitterly cold in Jackson Hole lately. Nevertheless, I don't buy the argument that leaving your car running while you grab a cup of coffee, pick up the mail, drop off your child at daycare, etc. is necessary–nor is it good for your car or truck (not to mention the environment). Furthermore, I cannot comprehend anyone leaving a vehicle running while they go grocery shopping or have a meal at a restaurant!

But it happens all the time.

Are we so addicted to convenience and comfort? Or is it because we live in a community with relatively little crime and, thus, live without fear of big-city consequences–like having our vehicle stolen, or even having the unattended children in our idling vehicles taken while we pop in to the bookstore to pick up the Sunday paper?

It's ironic (and predictable) that the coldest days bring the most abuse. Quite often, the coldest days also bring with them a temperature inversion that traps all those extra pollutants from countless idling engines close to the ground. (As I write this, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort's website reports 8°F at the base, 26°F at the top of the Gondola and 23°F at the summit of Rendezvous Mountain–a classic inversion.)

Here's what the guys at Car Talk have to say about the need to warm up your engine:

If you live in western Siberia, northern Minnesota, or some place like that, think about adding a block heater to your engine. That's a small electric engine heater that plugs in at night. It's almost required equipment for diesel engines in frigid climates. But it can be used on regular gasoline engines too. And for less than a hundred dollars, you can be virtually guaranteed that your car will start, even on the coldest, butt-freezes-to-the-driver's-seat mornings. A side benefit of this is that you'll have instant heat in the morning. Actually, that may be the greatest benefit! One note of caution: If you do get a block heater, try to remember not to drive off with your car still plugged into your house.

On a web page titled Idling and Climate Change Go Hand in Hand, Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency takes Tom and Ray's recommendation one step farther, simply stating: block heaters save fuel and help the environment. In addition the Canadian website explores the health impacts of idling and points out the obvious: idling wastes fuel and money and is not good for your engine.

I don't care if you choose to leave your front door unlocked or leave the keys in your car, but do us all a favor: turn off your #%@* vehicle! Please.

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