Meaningful Movies Inspire Action!

Here is a message on the Sustainable Ballard website: “Want to help reduce car idling in our neighborhood? Inspired by a recent Meaningful Movie, Idle Threat, a few of us are forming a working group to see how we could reduce unnecessary idling in our neighborhood/city. We are researching current regulations and discussing an education campaign. If you are interested, please let us know. All ideas welcome! Email Polly at polly_freeman@msn.com to get involved!”

Curious about the movie? Here is a description of Idle Threat:

Idling engines consume more than 6 billion gallons of gasoline annually in the U.S., a significant but little-known contributor to local air pollution, respiratory disease and global climate change.

“Idle Threat” is a lively look at one man’s spirited struggle to improve public health by raising awareness about idling’s impact, starting in New York City. Against all odds, he succeeds, helping improve local air quality, and in the process gains world-wide recognition for the anti-idling cause, with articles featured in the Wall Street Journal, New Yorker magazine, and the Financial Times.

In white shirt and tie, Wall Street banker George Pakenham has walked the streets of New York for over five years, courteously confronting over 3,000 motorists to explain idling’s impact and the law prohibiting running a parked vehicle for more than a short time. Responses vary from thanks to anger, but Pakenham never wavers. He’s determined that the problems idling poses be recognized, and lobbies successfully for the city to enforce its idling laws.

Featuring Click and Clack from NPR’s Car Talk, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, “Idle Threat” profiles one man’s challenging quest to make his city and the world a healthier place, and shows that sometimes one person – and a simple act like turning a key – can make a big difference.