As more and more people become conscious of their impact on the environment, local governments are looking for ways to enforce environmental laws and minimize waste. To help out, they’re turning to the public to report environmental violations. That’s right – you could be a part of making the planet a better place, and potentially earn some cash in the process. Here’s how.

Idling is a Big Deal

 You may have heard that idling your car for too long is bad for the environment. That’s because vehicles emit harmful pollutants into the atmosphere when the engine is running, even if the car is parked. To help reduce the impact of idling, many states and the District of Columbia have implemented idling limits for certain vehicles, like school buses or heavy-duty diesel vehicles.

By reporting instances of illegal idling, you can help enforce these laws and reduce the amount of harmful emissions in the air. For example, in New York City, the “Citizens Air Complaint Program” incentivizes people to report trucks that are idling for too long by offering a 25 percent cut of any fines issued. This could earn you over $80 per successful report! In D.C., you can report vehicles idling for more than three minutes through the 311 mobile app.

Parking in Bike Lanes 

New York City is taking its enforcement of idling a step further by including illegally parked vehicles that block bike lanes. A proposed bill would allow citizens to submit photos of these violations, and the city would issue fines to the offending drivers. This would not only help keep bike lanes clear and safe for riders, but it would also help reduce emissions from idling vehicles.

Water Waste 

On the West Coast, California residents are encouraged to report forms of water waste, such as overwatering lawns. This helps conserve water, a precious resource that is becoming increasingly scarce in many parts of the world.

Illegal Dumping In Milwaukee, people who report illegal dumping can be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. This is an important way to keep communities clean and reduce the amount of waste in the environment.

Reporting environmental violations is an easy and effective way for citizens to play their part in protecting the planet. Whether you’re reporting idling trucks in New York, water waste in California, or illegal dumping in Milwaukee, you can help enforce laws and make a difference. And who knows, you might even earn some cash in the process. So the next time you see something, say something – it’s a simple way to do your part for a better planet.

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Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
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• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!