Every year September 22 is World Car Free Day with the purpose of reducing our dependence on vehicles and motorcycles and seeking more environmentally-friendly ways of mobility, such as public transportation, bicycle, or on foot. Hopefully, with the event, the general public will know more about the seriousness of traffic issues as well as air pollution in cities, thus facilitating better city planning and transportation policies.

World Car Free Day originated in France in the 1990s. Most of the cities in Europe were facing air pollution and noise pollution caused by vehicles, which greatly impacted the living quality of the residents. On September 22, 1998, thirty-five residents in France initiated a campaign with the slogan “In Town, Without My Car! ” to take action and regain tranquility in cities temporarily. The campaign soon caught the attention of the country, attracting many more cities to join the campaign in the next year. In 2000, World Car Free Day was adopted by the Environmental Initiatives of the EU, becoming an international event. Then, the event expanded and turned into European Mobility Week which is celebrated on September 19 to 22 every year and ends with World Car Free Day.

Be it Car Free Day or Mobility Week, are all encouraging citizens to change their choice of transportation, striving for a greener and healthier city lifestyle. This year, the theme of European Mobility Week is “Save Energy.” The aims of the theme are that people are encouraged to choose ways of mobility that save energy and minimize carbon footprints, that we need to think of more energy-efficient public transportation to cut down costs and make it affordable for all, and that we need to be less dependent on fossil fuels and more on sustainable energy. On this day of World Car Free Day, why not go out earlier and ride a bike, or take public transportation for school and work? It not only is good for your health but also gives you the opportunity to enjoy the fresh air in the cities.

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