World Car Free Day is today, September 22 and people around the Globe have taken notice and are putting their ideals into action. Take for instance South Korea’s President Lee Myung-bak.
Myung-bak has decided to ride his bike today instead of taking a car. In addition his secretaries are taking public transportation such as buses and trains for their morning commutes and to experience a car-free lifestyle.
Across the world in Europe, people are also expressing their advocacy for World Car Free Day. Using their muscles in Brussels, people have also taken to their bicycles to help cut down on gas consumption and take a small bite out of global warming.
Rollerbladers, skateboarders and people simply walking are among the crowds of tens of thousands of Europeans today giving up their cars for the sake of humanity. Advocates have been doing this in increasing numbers since the 1973 OPEC oil crisis. Velotaxis and now popular in Germany and Italy has seen a drastic increase in the number of electric bikes.
In Louisville, Kentucky a man named Tim Darst, who is the director for the Coalition for the Advancement of Regional Transportation will be traveling 200 miles by local bus today in order to showcase World Car Free Day in his region.
So, the message is, if you can, do without your car today. If this is not possible, then at least cut down on driving, do hypermiling and at least contribute a little to the greenness of the Earth. I, myself, will be taking an unusually long walk in support of this day.