St. Mary's School & Dr. Morris Gibson School are officially an idle free zone.

In partnership with the Calgary Regional Airshed Zone (CRAZ) students have been learning the cons of leaving a vehicle running when it doesn't have to be and the effects it can have on air quality.

Principal of St. Mary's, Brandon Bailey says showing students what idling can do to one's health over time and then relaying that message to their parents is the best way to eliminate idling all together.

"When we can educate our students about this they're the best educators because they can sit down with their parents and can say 'Hey this is what I learned about what they're monitoring and how it impacts us.'

Air Quality Manager Mandeep Dhailwal has been monitoring air quality at both schools for the past few weeks and says there's one common denominator when it comes to idling in one chemical compound.

"PM2.5 is the by-product of idling so anytime the vehicle is idling, when there's a gas or diesel combustion we are releasing PM2.5 is one of the compounds now a days that is really bad for human health," he says.

The Town of Okotoks does have an 'Idle Free' by-law in place but the more education the better.

"I think what this does is it raises the level of concern, level of interest in this and so that people who are parked and they're kids are hanging out by their vehicle they can say 'Let's flip the key off there' instead of idling," Bailey says.

CRAZ will come back with results on the air quality at both St. Mary's and Dr Morris Gibson in November.

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