World car free day (22th of Sep)

World Car Free Day is celebrated on September 22. It is a worldwide initiative to encourage motorists to take a break from driving and explore alternatives. So if you want to be more environmentally friendly, take part in World Car-Free Day. Sure, giving up your vehicle may not be the most convenient way to go car-free, but it is the best way to stop gas-guzzling for even one day. Is it possible to go for an entire day without needing a car? Yes! It can be done, and World Car-Free Day wants to prove it.

HISTORY OF WORLD CAR-FREE DAY

Although cars are the most popular and convenient means of transport in most major cities, they have considerable drawbacks. People have protested against the use of cars for decades for several reasons. Apart from the noise and the pollution, they are responsible for a rise in accidental deaths. They are also linked to heart disease and obesity. In the 1950s, car culture was considered a problem evident in crowded city centers and neighborhoods. The Netherlands and Belgium had a car-free Sunday in 1956 and 1957, respectively.

In 1994, a paper on reducing dependence on cars was distributed at an international conference. In the late 1990s, several European cities began planning car-free projects. In 2000, it was decided to make the day self-standing and held on September 22, and cities worldwide were invited to participate. The Environmental Transport Association started Car-Free Day on the first Tuesday of their Green Transport Week. On Car-Free Day, people promote walking, bicycles, public transit, and other forms of sustainable transportation. They also think about what their city would be like with fewer cars and ways to make this happen.

The people involved in the sustainable transport movement wanted to see what impact their programs and projects had a decade after the initiative began. They wondered if their programs and projects changed cities for the better or whether all the effort was for nothing. So they decided to work together and start a program in 2004 to set reasonable goals and measure success. Many cities organize events to mark the day

(참조) https://nationaltoday.com/world-car-free-day/