World Carfree Day

A car has long ceased to be an attribute of luxury; nowadays, for many people it is the most comfortable means of transportation Today, almost every family has one or even two cars Having an “iron horse” saves a person from having to adjust to public transport schedules and experience the crush during rush hours when getting to work and home Personal vehicles make it possible to comfortably make various trips and freely organize any activities related to movement In addition to the advantages that people are used to getting from using their “iron friend,” there are disadvantages to using it First of all, this is air pollution from exhaust gases Experts have calculated that if Moscow residents stop using personal cars for one day, harmful waste into the atmosphere will be reduced by 2,700 tons Constant traffic jams are another significant disadvantage of using a car They not only steal drivers’ time, but also negatively affect their nervous system The physical inactivity that car lovers suffer from also negatively affects their health The statistics, which provide sad facts about the increase in mortality in car accidents, are not encouraging World Car Free Day is intended to draw public attention to the problem of the negative impact of cars on nature and human health He calls for giving up using a car at least once a year and choosing alternative modes of transportation: cycling, public transport or walking The very first country to celebrate Car Free Day was Switzerland It was there, in 1973, the country’s government, in connection with the fuel crisis, called on residents to stop using personal transport for 4 days After this, similar actions took place around the world over the next 25 decades In 1997, a campaign to stop using cars took place in England The following year, France held a Car Free Day In Russia, the first city to hold a one-day campaign to stop using personal vehicles was Belgorod This happened in 2005 The following year, Nizhny Novgorod supported this initiative Moscow has become a permanent participant in this action since 2008 Traditionally, on this holiday people use alternative modes of transportation: by bicycle, public transport, or on foot In Moscow on this day, travel on public transport costs half as much In many cities around the world, bicycle demonstrations are held on this day: cyclists, dressed in bright suits, ride around the city along with motorists Social networks also support the car-free campaign, offering to take pictures of yourself riding a bicycle or walking and posting the photo online The media strongly supports the car-free campaign Doctors on TV broadcast not only about the harmful effects of exhaust gases, but also note the harm caused to the nervous system as a result of constant traffic jams and accidents, and talk about the negative impact of physical inactivity on people’s health There are also economic benefits when refusing to use a car: you don’t need to spend money on gasoline, repairs, technical inspection, or car insurance Of course, a complete refusal to use a car is unthinkable for most people, but even maintaining a one-day promotion will help save your budget Currently, Car Free Day, unfortunately, is not very popular But I would like to hope that over time people will appreciate the holiday and begin to support its traditions