The first Car-Free Day in USA happens again on Saturday August 24, 2002.

Car-Free Days have become widespread across much of the globe in the past five years as a way to address growing concerns about the impacts of cars on the environment, global warming, and the health, safety and peace of mind of city residents. In 2001, over 1500 cities and towns in over 50 countries in Europe, Asia, Australia and South America held Car-Free Days. This year, Europe's internationally coordinated car-free day will be held on September 22.

The purpose of a Car-Free Day is universal: to reclaim streets for people, educate people about public and nonmotorized transportation, and inspire them to change their behavior. By taking street space back from the auto, city residents can experience for themselves an urban environment without cars: less noise, safer streets, more open space, and better air.

Car-Free days in North America have been much smaller, both in number and in scope, than those elsewhere in the world, reflecting the extreme end of an auto-dominant culture. In the U.S., a country where children can be banned from playing in the streets (the Fairfax, Virginia City Council passed just such a resolution this year), it is not so surprising that even in the most progressive of cities, Car-Free Days remain a fringe concept. Still, no matter the size of the event, Car-Free Days send a message to oil companies, car manufacturers, transit operators, and public officials.

In North America, 2001 saw only two cities with car-free days: Toronto and Seattle. Although small, as the first of its kind in the country, last year's car-free day in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood attracted attention from across the U.S. as well as from the United Nations. By staking a claim against auto-dependence, Car-Free Seattle hopes to set an example that other North American cities will follow.

Car-Free Seattle 2002, August 24 will be a day of voluntary automobile abstinence celebrated by a rolling party, the SLOW RIDE - a bike ride for riders of all skill levels that will connect events in Columbia City (Rainier Valley Heritage Festival), Capitol Hill (14th Avenue Chalk Art Festival), and Fremont (Tour de Fat). Participants can join in at any point and join the rally for a car-free city.

Although Car-Free Seattle 2002 represents a much larger geographic reach than last years' car-free day, it still only closes about 4 city blocks. Declaring a larger car-free day in Seattle would take an action by the Mayor and City Council, and would be a real opportunity to show leadership and vision to the rest of the country and the world - that although the Bush administration is determined to ignore the implications of widespread auto dependence, global warming, and polluted, congested cities, there are other places in the U.S. that care deeply about those issues. Seattle, a city which has become known nationally for its gridlock, can be seen as a city willing to take a new, truly innovative approach to solving traffic problems.

For more information on Car-Free Seattle, see the listing in this Issues Activist calendar or go to www.thinksmall.org