Eco Comment – International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer and World Car Free Day

Whilst not exactly linked to each other it’s no real surprise to find that the United Nations International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer (16th September) and World Car Free Day (22nd September) feature so close to each other in the Environmental and Sustainability Awareness Calendar 2024. Both days are asking us ‘humans’ to think about our behaviour and find ways to consider alternative practices. 

It appears that our efforts with regards the Ozone Layer are starting to have a positive effect. At least if the words of this catchy little song are to be believed, but don’t look at the most recent UK news. It shows that ‘despite the important role our seas play in slowing climate change, there are no regulations in place to protect these valuable carbon sinks from threats such as fishing and development.’ (i. 19.9.24 Sea bed protection ’crucial’ for tackling climate change. Lucie Heath) 

The battle to save the ozone layer has been raging since the 1970s when it was discovered that UV rays were getting stronger. The findings of a British Antarctic Survey article in May 1985 first coined the phrase ‘ozone hole’ and the global symbol of this environment threat helped mobilize public support for the Montreal Protocol. I’ve no doubt that you’re all aware of the term CFCs (interestingly this term is now so well used and understood that the UN article didn’t give a definition) and how they are being phased out of use. In the main they have been successful and are now being used far, far less than previously but apparently we now have to beware of HCFCs (hydrochlorofluocarbons). These are widely used in ‘refrigeration, foam, solvent, aerosol and fire fighting sectors’ and were created as an alternative to CFCs. They are also used in in agriculture and pest management and many ‘HCFCs have high global warming potentials, of up to 2000 times that of carbon dioxide’. 

The ‘un.org’ page for Preservation of the Ozone Layer includes four other interesting videos so if you wanted to understand more I can recommend viewing them.  

The other subject for this weekend: World Car Free Day, although a very valid and laudable project is I think going to be much harder to achieve. Since the beginning of the 20th century virtually all towns and cities around the world have been designed around the car. Getting from A to B in the quickest way possible for the individual has been the focus of most town planners. However, many places are now rethinking this and introducing better, more reliable public transport and more ‘pedestrian only’ streets and areas. Not all of these measures are met with acclaim though and we regularly read of businesses bemoaning the change which they state will make their profits fall. But ‘World Car Free Day is actually a celebration of public transport, cycling, walking and other forms of sustainable mobility’ (Ecoattractions.com) ‘By reducing reliance on cars, this day aims to lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduce air pollution, and foster a sense of community as people engage more closely with their surroundings.’ This year, Eco Attractions and the Foundation for Integrated Transport are joining forces to amplify this message and inspire widespread participation. 

The organisers are looking to hold community Bike Rides and Walks plus workshops on the environmental impact of car emissions. They are hoping that public transport will offer free and discounted rides and that the social media world will raise awareness using hashtags like #WorldCarFreeDay and #GoGreenCommute. 

I have found some London-based reports of proposed action for this weekend from August this year when the London Borough of Southwark proposes to close some streets to traffic and allow children to play in the traffic free streets. There was also a plea from Sadiq Khan for Londoners to ditch their cars and “reclaim our streets” BBC 2.8.24) In 2019 the Greater London Authority closed 27kms of roads around Tower Bridge, London Bridge and the City of London. However research (en.m.wkipedia.org) states that currently Bogota holds the world’s largest car-free weekend event covering the whole of the city. Their first car-free day was held in February 2000 and became institutionalised through a public referendum. All is not lost locally though as I did manage to find one West Yorkshire advert for this day on (bikebiz.com) where the ‘Public (are) urged (to) consider leaving their cars at home as the region looks towards a less car reliant future’ and to leave cars at home this World Car Free Day’. The West Yorkshire Combined Authority is calling on people to consider leaving their cars at home as the ‘region looks towards a less car reliant future.’ I was impressed by the article until I realised that it was written 4 years ago. I hope you have more luck in finding activities for this weekend. 

I find it interesting that both of these events/days started in the 1970s. It would appear that science and finance somehow created an opportunity for thinking about the environment and yet all these years later we still haven’t quite made it into fully actionable law. Yes, so many of us are trying to do our bit but those people, organisations, governments haven’t really ‘sorted it out’. I wonder what will enable that to happen? Let’s pray that change is not too far away. 

Susan Morgan
Eco Group