Contents
Residents of megacities have long experienced euphoria from the mass distribution of cars. They have become available to the majority, even minors can learn and pass on a driver’s license in many countries. But there are too many cars in the world: when everyone got access to a comfortable vehicle, due to traffic jams, they still lost the privilege of fast travel. In addition, internal combustion engines harm the environment, and hence our health. So in the world, and then in Our Country, it was decided to spend the Day without a car. It will also take place in 2022.
When is Car Free Day held in Our Country and the world
World Car Free Day on September 22. On this date, educational events are held, the main purpose of which is to convey to car owners the idea of alternative ways to move around the city.
It is believed that in the global environmental community, the idea of World Car Free Day has matured since the 70s. Then there was a large-scale oil crisis, which made us think not so much about the dangers of machines for nature, but rather to raise the question: “How can we live differently?”. However, this did not result in any large-scale wave of activism.
They returned to a broad discussion of the problem 20 years later. It is generally accepted that in 1994, the American political scientist, specialist in urban studies and transportation, Eric Britton, first spoke at a conference about the idea of holding a Day without a car in the world. In the first years, it did not have the desired effect, only a couple of cities in Europe announced that they would hold an action. However, this was more like following a new trend, PR, rather than environmental activism.
Everything changed with the creation of the World Car Free Days association (“World Car Free Days”). After that, in 1997, the UK at the state level declared September 22 as Car Free Day. France joined the action the following year. It must be understood that these were not separate precedents in the cities, but a full-scale advertising campaign promoting the idea. In 2000, the program was extended to the whole of Europe.
Surprisingly, Moscow is not the first city in the country whose authorities supported the idea. It was held in the capital in 2008, but three years before that, the action was announced in Belgorod, and then in Nizhny Novgorod. The tradition has not gone away and is annually reminded of it on the eve of September 22. There were attempts to hold in other cities. The most successful ones are in Ufa and Yekaterinburg. In other cities, sometimes they try to remind car owners of an important date, but this does not bring any effect.
Formally, the Day Without a Car is one large-scale flash mob. The most interesting action in Moscow, because in the capital the departments are more progressive, ready to communicate with people and arrange experiments. For example, they introduced discounts on travel in public transport. Or they launched a mothballed tram line. Business joins the event, some establishments give discounts to cyclists exactly on September 22. In other cities, the matter, at best, is limited to a bike ride along the central streets. They will probably come up with new promotions in 2022.
How the world is fighting against total motorization and is it possible to make a contribution to the environment
At first it seemed that the Day Without a Car was just an eccentricity, an ecological farce. But from year to year, people’s ideas change. In 2022, many began to realize that a car as an affordable means of personal transportation is not entirely good. Against the backdrop of the dominance of cars, the main privilege is lost – fast travel with comfort.
- The Eco function is added to modern car models – the car turns off the engine when it stands for more than 5 seconds, for example, at a traffic light. But so far only relatively expensive cars can boast of such.
- Regular engine maintenance and replacement of used components will help reduce the percentage of harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
- In major cities around the world, central streets are blocked on weekends. This increases pedestrian traffic, and the business on the first floors gets additional buyers.
- During World Car Free Day, some cities are waiving public transport fares. Unfortunately, this is very expensive, so not everyone is solved.
- Congestion needs to be addressed as car engines make a significant negative contribution to air quality. However, to build up everything with roads, to expand them to infinity, is also pointless. We need competent work of specialists in the transport environment.