World Car Free Day is coming up. It's an international movement that encourages motorists to give up their vehicles for a day. It's also known as Car Free Day. Most people around the world consider their car a necessity. Without it, they wouldn’t be able to get around conveniently. Today, an estimated 1.4 billion cars travel the roads throughout the world. At one time, the United States had the most car owners. Now China claims that prize. Volkswagen and Toyota manufacture more cars than other companies. The automobile is a useful way to get around. But the automobile has a dark side — it hurts the environment. Scientists say that cars also contribute to global warming. What if there were no cars on the road? Car Free Day is an international event that promotes walking over driving. It encourages people to try mass transit for long distances. It’s also a day for cities to use their roadways in different ways. For instance, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, horses are ridden on the streets.

22 September is World Car Free Day!

For years, many people have protested the use of cars. They considered them an intrusion into their cities and neighborhoods. From 1956 to 1957, the Netherlands and Belgium held car-free Sundays.