And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. - Sylvia Plath
|
|
Thursday, September 20, 2007,8:38 AM
World Carfree Day
Every September 22, people across the globe get together to swear off their cars, if only for one day, in a collective reminder that we don't have to accept car-dominated societies, cities, or personal lives. Since its earliest incarnations in the 1970s and '80s, WORLD CARFREE DAY has grown into a massive global celebration of human-centric communities and people-powered transportation.
Carfree Day 2007 could turn out to be the biggest yet. For the first time, China's government is hopping on board, with official events talking place in more than 100 cities, including Beijing and Shanghai. (Officials will reportedly be trading in their famed black sedans for public transportation.)
As the world tunes in to the fact that the climate is heating up, this is the perfect opportunity to take the heat off the planet, and put it on city planners and politicians to give priority to cycling, walking and public transport, instead of oil-hungry automobiles.
Check out the links below for global resources on going car-free, first on September 22, and then in your everyday life. Let World Carfree Day be a showcase for just how our cities might look, feel, and sound without cars - 365 days a year.
Nice idea. Now I'm fine with walking to basic places that day, but I know my town is like most of the USA and has zero public transportation. That is the most basic thing that needs to change before we get to the point when people can cut back (or stop) using cars.
Tags:
Labels: Environment, Social Justice
posted by Julie at 8:38 AM
¤ Permalink ¤
¤ Permalink ¤
3 Comments:
-
At 9/21/2007 07:44:00 AM,
JulieChicago has a good system. out here in the burbs we have to drive a half hour to get to the end of the rail line. No buses out here either. I envy those in the city for that. But I also wonder how in the world I could ever manage a toddler, her stroller, and the groceries on public transportation with just one arm.
Well ... I'm glad that the date is the 22nd. I might be able to it then. The 23rd would be right out. We have hockey practice and 2 games that day. There's no public transportation and you just can't tote hockey gear on a bike. Not for 17 miles ... it's not practical at all. And it's really not practical when practice begins at 6 a.m. ;-)