Beschrijving
How a public health initiative to reduce air pollution in New York City has created ‘full-time citizen complainants’ who patrol the streets. Read more about 'Idle Warriors' on Aeon: https://aeon.co/videos/meet-the-bounty-hunters-who-enforce-new-yorks-idling-vehicle-ban
Director: Molly Stark-Ragsdale (https://www.mollystarkragsdale.com/)
Producers: Anna Andersen, Alex Levin, Molly Stark-Ragsdale
Every day, a small battle on the streets of New York City flies just below the general public’s radar. On the one side are (mostly) professional drivers who leave their vehicles running while parked at the side of the street to make deliveries, grab a bite or use the bathroom. On the other side is a small group of cyclists calling themselves the ‘Idle Warriors’ enforcing the city’s ban on leaving a vehicle idling for more than three minutes. Because citizens who record such incidents are paid a portion of the resulting fines, and because so many vehicles are left idling in the city, some have even made their crusade a full-time job.
In this short documentary, the US filmmaker Molly Stark-Ragsdale provides a street-level view of these bounty hunts from both sides. This includes the motivations of the Idle Warriors, most of whom are concerned about the very real health effects of tailpipe exhaust, as well as those of the drivers, who can face steep fines and even lose their jobs. Providing an entertaining and even-handed account of the controversial initiative, Stark-Ragsdale’s film explores broader questions around class, race, ethics and public health.
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Idle Warriors, NYC Idling Law, Citizen Reporters, NYC Bounty Hunters, NYC Department of Environmental Protection, DEP, Idling Fines, Citizen Enforcement, Idling Vehicle Ban, Air Pollution, Climate Change, Environmental Activism, New York City Documentary, Urban Conflict, Public Health, Pediatric Health, Neurotoxicity of Exhaust, Environmental Justice, NYC Stories, How the NYC Idling Law works