Projects around the idea of World Car Free Day took place on an ad hoc basis starting with the 1973 oil crisis. It was only in October 1994 that a structured call for such projects was made. The informal World Car Free Days Consortium was organized in 1995 to support car-free days worldwide. In 2000, car-free days activities went global with an organized World Car Free Day program launched by the World Carfree Network. Activities are held in various cities throughout the world in different ways now on the day, with the common goal of reducing the number of cars on the streets and highlighting the many problems caused by our dependence on cars.
Why is it so important?
We tend to rely on our private vehicles for easy commuting. Nevertheless, we can’t turn a blind eye to those problems resulted from this dependence, such as air pollution, global warming, stress, and safety issues. The World Car Free Day encourages motorists to give up their cars for a day to promote the improvement of mass transit, cycling and walking, and the development of communities where jobs are closer to home and where shopping is within walking distance.
What should we do?
Car-free activities offer us a great opportunity to examine the many benefits of going car-free. We need no explanation to realize vehicle emissions are one of the main sources of outdoor air pollution, particularly in cities. To help reduce the effects pollution has on our lives, we can drive less or to adopt cleaner fuels and more efficient vehicle technologies to cut down emissions. Also, we can enjoy walking and cycling in a safer environment if we do not see so many cars in our city.
