Go car-free and care-free Sept. 22

By Lee Crandell

Save the date for the first annual Chicagoland Car-Free Day on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009. Our region joins cities around the globe in celebrating World Car-Free Day, an international movement to advance the environmental, social and economic benefits of reducing automobile-dependency.

Considering how few places there are in our nation where we can live well without cars, we’re lucky to live in a region with a great bike and transit network and plenty of walkable neighborhoods. Chicagoland Car-Free Day is a regional partnership coordinated by Active Trans to celebrate our transportation choices and showcase the great quality of life we can enjoy without a car. It is a one-day open house for car-free living—an opportunity to join the one million Chicagoans currently living car-free.

Active Trans will launch an online pledge challenging people to leave their cars behind on Car-Free Day and experience our region on foot, by bike and via transit. We will also be promoting a series of partner activities giving Chicagoans more opportunities to partake in the spirit of car-free living. Look for more details from us in coming weeks.

We know that many of our members and supporters already bike, walk and ride transit; but Chicagoland Car-Free Day is a day to go the extra mile in your commitment to reducing automobile-dependency. We encourage you to participate by taking the pledge, learning about new ways to get around, and challenging your friends, neighbors and coworkers to do the same. Or if your organization would like to go a step further and organize a partner event or activity in celebration of Car-Free Day, please contact Adolfo Hernandez, director of advocacy, at 312.427.3325 x 296 or adolfo@activetrans.org.