To the editor:

On a recent mild, sunny day, my husband and I took a walk on Barrington Beach. Afterwards, when we walked the length of the parking lot to return to our car, we noticed several cars with their engines idling. The passengers inside were either looking at their cellphones, eating or talking. All in all, we counted seven idling cars! Here’s some food for thought:  For every 10 minutes your engine is off, you'll prevent one pound of carbon dioxide from being released (carbon dioxide is the primary contributor to global warming). To offset this amount of global warming pollution, we would need to plant an area the size of Manhattan with trees every single year. So please people, stop idling your cars and save gas – and our planet!

Heide Weldy

Barrington