Celeberate Car Free Day on Sep 22

Sep 13: On Tuesday, September 18th, CarFree DC celebrate the first ever DC Car Free Day, unanimously endorsed by the DC City Council. This is an opportunity to reconnect with the city, exploring new neighborhoods, and taking advantage of transportation choices.

Saturday, September 22 is World Carfree Day which will be celebrated in over 1500 cities around the world, including many in the United States. Going carfree on September 18th CarFree DC willl give you the opportunity to join their neighbours from all over the city as well as the metropolitan area who are signing up to leave their cars at home and travel to work by train, bus, bicycle, walking, roller-blading, etc.

World Carfree Day also promotes socially and environmentally responsible alternatives to cars-walking, cycling, public transport-and ultimately the transformation of cities, towns, and neighborhoods into safer pedestrian environments rich in public space and community life. Car-free days were initially organized as a response to the oil crisis of the 1970s.

The first World Carfree Day was held in 2000, and since then hundreds of cities around the world have participated, including Bogota, Columbia; Santiago, Chile; Toronto, Canada; Madison, Wisconsin; Portland, Oregon; and Oakland, California. The number of cities taking part in World Carfree Day continues to grow. For example, this year more than 100 cities across China, will participate, including Beijing and Shanghai.

The date, September 22, was chosen to coincide with the EU-sponsored European Mobility Week. Each city celebrates World Carfree Day in their own unique way, but all strive to build a sense of community and develop awareness about individual car dependence.

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