Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2009, 6, 694-709; doi:10.3390/ijerph6020694 OPEN ACCESS International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ISSN 1660-4601 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph Article Use of a Remote Car Starter in Relation to Smog and Climate Change Perceptions: A Population Survey in Québec (Canada) Diane Bélanger 1, Pierre Gosselin 2,*, Pierre Valois 3, Stéphane Germain 4 and Belkacem Abdous 5 1 Centre de recherche du CHUQ, 2875 boulevard Laurier, Édifice Delta 2, Québec, QC, Canada G1V2M2; E-Mail: diane.belanger@crchul.ulaval.ca 2 Institut national de santépublique du Québec, Ouranos and UniversitéLaval, 945 Avenue Wolfe, Québec, QC, Canada G1V 5B3 3 Faculté des Sciences de l’éducation, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada G1V0A6; E-Mail: pierre.valois@fse.ulaval.ca 4 Département de mathématiques et de statistique, UniversitéLaval, Québec, QC, Canada G1K7P4; E-Mail: stephane.germain@gmail.com 5 Centre de recherche du CHUQ, 2875 boulevard Laurier, Édifice Delta 2, Québec, QC, Canada G1V2M2; E-Mail: belkacem.abdous@crchul.ulaval.ca * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: pierre-l.gosselin@crchul.ulaval.ca; Tel.: +1-418-650-5115 ext. 5205#; Fax: +1-418-654-3144 Received: 25 December 2008 / Accepted: 8 February 2009 / Published: 16 February 2009 Abstract: Remote car starters encourage motorists to warm up their vehicles by idling the motor – thus increasing atmospheric pollutants, including several greenhouse gas (GHG) with impacts on public health. This study about climate change (CC) adaptation and mitigation actions examined perceptions on air pollution and climate change and individual characteristics associated with the use of a remote car starter. A telephone survey (n = 2,570; response rate: 70%) of adults living in Québec (Canada) measured the respondents’ beliefs and current behaviours regarding CC. Approximately 32.9% (daily car users) and 27.4% (occasional users) reported using a remote car starter during winter. The odds of the use of a remote car starter was higher in the less densely populated central (OR: 1.5) and peripheral regions (OR: 2.7) compared to the urban centers (ex. Montreal). The odds was also higher in population with a mother tongue other than English or French (OR: 2.6) and francophones than anglophones (OR: 2.1), women than men (OR: 1.5), daily drivers than