It was a beautiful day marked with a truly good beginning on September 22 as many enthused motorists
were observed celebrating International Car-Free Day on Thursday and opting for cleaner modes of
transport in order to reduce pollution, greenhouse emissions, accidents and traffic congestion. Though
the city has a low share of people willing to support this concept, a good majority of people ditched their
private motor vehicles and said a ‘Big Yes’ to the public transport. Opting car-free measures on Thursday
was a humble contribution to mark the day.
Needless to mention, cars have been recognized as the key source which is contributing significantly to
increase in all air pollutants measured over the last decade. With more number of cars being added
every year, the level of smoke emanating from the motor vehicles has spiked, as a result of which the air
quality has deteriorated with the highest ‘particulate matter 2.5’ levels. Did you know that articles
smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5 in shorthand) are fine enough to lodge deep in human
lungs and cause serious health problems like lung cancer?
To give an extended support to this, one of the most prestigious universities in India, Sharda University sensitizes staff on the drawbacks of using personal motors for commuting inside the sprawling campus of 63 acres at Greater Noida, requesting everyone to use battery-operated Golf Cart. Also, our students are actively encouraged to participate in “Go-Green” initiative to conserve our resources and make all possible efforts to create a positive impact on our environment.
“We believe it is just a step forward to lower the alarming rise in pollution levels and make a significant
improvement in air quality. This way, we are giving our students a greener and clean environment, which
promote a healthy lifestyle inside the sprawling lush green campus”, said a spokesperson of Sharda
University.
Initiatives like International Car-Free Day come as a good solution to decongest the capital’s roads while
addressing the crisis of environmental pollution. Lesser cars simply mean steady reduction in the number
of vehicles on the roads, no complaints of haphazard parking, less noise pollution and safer streets for
pedestrians. All in favor of the betterment of our environment, giving up on cars for just a day is really
worth. Happy International Car-Free Day!
