International Environmental Events in September

Clean up the World Weekend and World Carfree Day

Aug 19, 2008 Hayley Nichols

World Carfree Day and Clean up the World Weekend are two key international environmental events occuring in September to direct attention to eco-friendly lifestyles.

Environmental events are a key way to mobilise action to improve the world today. With the current climate change issues at the top of the agenda, "green days" are attracting more and more people who want to make long-term, sustainable changes in the environment in which we live. World Carfree Day and Clean up the World Weekend are two such events.

World Carfree Day

World Carfree Day on 22 September gives people the opportunity to imagine, just for one day, what our cities would be like without cars. The organizers do not want us to simply observe the day and then go back to our cars – the idea is to make long-lasting changes and invest in sustainable living.

City planners and politicians will receive pressure from pedestrians and cyclists to give priority to cycling, walking and public transport, instead of to cars. At the moment cars dominate the city landscape, making the environment often unpleasant and unsafe for people using other forms of transport.

The events hosted around the world are creative ways of bringing the public’s attention to these issues, and many are free of charge. Some of the events occurring include: In Brighton, United Kingdom, the Slow Bike Race Challenge and the Egg, Bike and Spoon Race, and the Bicycle Ballet, a choreography about riding a bike.

The "Urban Space Reconquest" in Grenoble, France, uses a car parking lot for activities such as having lunch and playing sport. In Los Angeles, California, there is a free evening of movies, music and fun celebrating car-free forms of transport. For further details on local events, see the World Car Free website.

Clean Up the World Weeekend

The sixteenth annual Clean Up the World Weekend takes place between the 19th and 21st September. Clean Up the World is a non-governmental, community-based organisation with many members, that takes action throughout the year to mobilize people to improve their environments. On the 2008 weekend it aims to mobilise 35 million volunteers from more than 110 countries.

During the weekend the members of Clean Up the World are encouraged to think of ways of involving volunteers in long-term environmental initiatives. This includes helping communities to think of practical ways to reduce the effects of climate change.

In Jordan during the 2007 event, more than 15 000 participants cleaned up areas around the country, organized by the Jordan Environment Society. In Indonesia, inspired by the Planting for Life Organisation, the local community participated in 8 days of entertainment, carrying the message of looking after water and the environment.

For more information, see the Clean Up the World website.

The copyright of the article International Environmental Events in September in Activism is owned by Hayley Nichols. Permission to republish International Environmental Events in September in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Clean Up the World Weekend

Bicycles are Promoted During World Carfree Day