| International
Car Free Day:
Saturday, Sept. 22, 2007
Why We Celebrate Car Free
Day
"What
is life like in communities that are not dependent on the automobile,
and what are the benefits of such a way of life?"
The
fundamental goal of Car Free Day is simple- to have fun while
answering the question above. So what are some of the benefits
of reduced auto use to a community?
| A
More Vibrant Public Realm-
Around the world, some of the most beloved places in the world
have been Car Free for decades, or even hundreds of years.
Venice, Italy, the largest Car Free city on earth, is one
of the most popular places in the world to visit. Locally,
"The Pit" at the center of the UNC Campus, bustles
with activity throughout the day and is enjoyed by all those
who visit the campus. |
(UNC Student Services
Photo) |
 (Safe
Routes to School Photo) |
Safer
Streets for Children and Public Health-
Currently, only 10% of children nationwide regularly walk
to school. According to the National Longitudinal Study
of Youth, obesity rates among children have doubled in the
last 20 years.
Additionally,
25% of trips in America are shorter than 1 mile in length,
an idea length for walking. Yet nearly three-quarters of
those short trips are completed by driving. 60 % of all
trips in America are less than 5 miles- an ideal length
for bicycling. Yet less than 1 % of these trips under 5
miles are completed on a bicycle. For longer trips, transit
remains an excellent way to cover longer distance trips
that can be started or completed by walking or bicycling.
These
statistics present a tremendous opportunity to reclaim shorter
trips as an opportunity for exercise which reduces the risk
of heart disease, diabetes, and falls among the elderly.
According
to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, “People
who report having access to sidewalks are 28% more likely
to be physically active.”
By developing
our physical environment in a way that supports walking,
cycling, and transit, our communities can improve overall
public health and reduce the cost of obesity-related health
problems to both individuals and society.
In addition
to providing healthy exercise, many parents who are able
to do so also find walking their children to school to be
a good way to spend time with their child as well as to
socialize with other families in the neighborhood.
|
 Improved
Air Quality-According
to the EPA, the average passenger car driven 12,500 miles
annually puts 77 pounds of hydrocarbons, 575 pounds of carbon
monoxide, 38 pounds of nitrogen oxides, and 11,450 pounds
of carbon dioxide into the air. According
to the 2000 Census, in Chapel Hill and Carrboro alone, there
are 21,109 people who drive alone to work each day, who
annually, produce more than 256,000,000 pounds of emissions
with their cars. If each of those people used an alternative
mode to get to work just one day each week, we could remove
36 million pounds of emissions from our air.
|
|
Energy
Efficiency:
 Another
benefit of having alternatives to auto transportation is
energy efficiency. Studies by the American Public Transportation
Association estimate that “a bus with as few as seven passengers
is more fuel-efficient than the average single-occupant
auto used for commuting.”
The
fuel efficiency of a fully-occupied bus, a common sight
in this area, is 6 times greater than that of the average
single-occupant auto.
|
|
Chapel
Hill Transit is Fare Free Every Day, thanks to the contributions
of UNC-Chapel Hill, the Town of Chapel Hill, and the Town of Carrboro.
