Today, September 22, is World Car-Free Day.

World Car-Free Day aims to give city dwellers a chance to experience what community life would be like if we used alternative means of transportation .

For one day a year, every September 22nd, people use alternative options to get from one place to another, traveling on foot, by bicycle, by scooter, on roller skates, or by public transportation, among other alternatives, to enjoy more humane cities.

THE ORIGIN

Car use in cities has grown rapidly in recent decades, as it is perceived as a convenient, fast, and safe form of transportation.

However, World Car-Free Day is a call to recover other healthy and sustainable mobility habits, with multiple benefits, so that cities and their infrastructure are designed for people, not cars.

After isolated efforts, it wasn't until 1994 that car-free days were organized in some cities around the world, and in 1998, September 22 was established as World Car-Free Day, as part of European Mobility Week.

The first cities to implement initiatives along these lines were Reykjavík (Iceland), La Rochelle (France) and Bath (United Kingdom).

The United Kingdom was the first country to implement the initiative nationwide, while Bogotá and Medellín were the first cities in the Americas to show commitment, where World Car-Free Day has been celebrated since 2000.

THE KEYS

• The goal of World Car-Free Day is to discourage the use of automobiles in cities to reduce the environmental damage caused by their large-scale use.

• The event calls on citizens to abandon this mode of transportation for a day and use other means of transportation.

• This initiative promotes individual and collective reflection on the impact of widespread car use in cities, opening the discussion on sustainable mobility options.

• According to the WHO, more than half of the world's population lives in places where air quality exceeds the pollution limits recommended in its guidelines, and the most common mobility model in the world, the one that favors mobility by car, is one of the main generators of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Have you joined or would you join this initiative?

BENEFITS OF WALKING

• Burns more fat and calories than other exercises.

• Helps activate and strengthen the cardiovascular system .

• Helps eliminate cholesterol that is harmful to the body.

• Increases resistance to effort, making us less tired.

• This natural exercise helps combat depression, stress, insomnia , and other emotional and mental problems.

BENEFITS OF USING A BICYCLE

• Oxygenates the brain and helps reduce stress and anxiety levels.

• Strengthens the heart and reduces the chances of developing cardiovascular diseases.

• Contributes to burning calories and preventing obesity.

• Improves lung capacity and strengthens the immune system.

• Tones and strengthens our muscles.

INTERESTING FACTS

The use of private cars creates social inequality in the use of public space, as a person traveling by car occupies 9 m2 of road space, compared to a person using public transportation who occupies 1.2 m2.

More than 1.55 billion cars are expected to be on the road worldwide by 2025, according to the latest reports from the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA) and the International Energy Agency (IEA). This number continues to rise due to population growth, urbanization, and access to vehicles in emerging markets.

Sources: UNAM and Greenpeace.