Press release

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	'''FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE'''		'''FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE'''
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		+	Prague, September 20, 2009
		+
		+	==  Chuck the Clunkers on Sept. 22! ==
		+
		+
		+	The word clunker refers to an old, worn-out vehicle, a car. By another definition a clunker is a failure; a flop.
		+	– I consider all cars as clunkers, flopped vehicles failing to meet any criteria of sensible means of transport, states Tanja Eskola from World Carfree Network. Let’s have a look at the true costs of car ownership for instance: Comparative studies show that in Europe, the average annual cost of a car is estimated to be around 6,000 - 9,000 Euros. That is to say a budget of around 500 to 750 Euros per month whereas in the majority of large European towns, a metro, tram or bus ticket costs around 1.5 Euro per unit. Car also is the greediest form of transport in terms of space: the same journey by bicycle takes up four times less room, by bus up to thirty times less. And needless to add, a car emits three times its own weight in pollutants every year, whereas a bicycle does not pollute.
-	'''SEPTEMBER 22 IS WORLD CARFREE DAY!'''	+	– World Carfree Day, a showcase for just how our cities might look like, feel like, and sound like without cars, is an en excellent opportunity to rethink and rediscover our personal mobility and the urban environment we live in, encourages Eskola. With the economy in freefall it is well worth contemplating chucking the clunkers and exploring the alternatives!
		+
		+	World Carfree Day, an annual celebration of cities and public life, free from the noise, stress and pollution of cars, is intended to advance the economic, social and environmental benefits of self-propelled or mass transportation. It is meant to promote more sustainable ways of transportation and new ways of building and thinking the urbanism of our cities, allowing streets to be a living space, rather than only a transit space.
		+	Notes for editors
-	World Carfree Day is an annual celebration of cities and public life, free from the noise, stress and pollution of cars. Every September 22, people from around the world get together in the streets and neighbourhoods to celebrate World Carfree Day and to remind the world that we don't have to accept our car-dominated societies.	+	1. World Carfree Day was established in 2000 as a grassroots movement by the World Carfree Network to coincide with the European Mobility Week. It has grown to involve official and unofficial participants in over 1,000 cities in 40 countries.
		+	2. The World Carfree Network brings together organizations and individuals dedicated to promoting alternatives to car dependence and automobile-based planning at the international level and working to reduce the human impact on the natural environment while improving the quality of life for all. Activities of the Network include the publication of the quarterly Carbusters Magazine and other carfree-related publications, and conducting the annual Towards Carfree Cities Conference.
		+	3. For more information, please visit www.worldcarfree.net.
-	World Carfree Day, promoted and supported by the World Carfree Network, is intended to advance the economic, social and environmental benefits of self-propelled or mass transportation. It is meant to promote more sustainable ways of transportation and new ways of building and thinking the urbanism of our cities, allowing streets to be a living space, rather than only a transit space.	+
-	With the global economy in freefall, carmakers are facing turbulent times and people around the world are re-evaluating their relationship with the car. So now is the perfect timing to try out the alternatives, spread the carfree word, join or start a World Carfree Day in your area! It is also time to push for a new use of car factories that could be used to build public transportation, providing employment and allowing us to build a better urban environment.
-
-	Before the 10th anniversary of World Carfree Day next year, let the 2009 edition be a showcase for how our cities might look like, feel like, and sound like without cars 365 days a year!
-
-
-	'''CONTACT DETAILS'''
-
-
-	World Carfree Network invites organisations and individuals everywhere to share information. Any questions or for more information about World Carfree Day in your area, please contact:
-
-
-	'''World Carfree Network'''
-	Prague Office
-	Tel: +(420) 274-810-849,
-	Skype: wcn-icc
-	Email: info[a]worldcarfree.net
-
-	'''North America'''
-
-	Tel.
-	E-mail:
-
-	'''South America'''
-	Etienne von Bertrab
-	Tel. (+5233) 3630-9336
-	E-mail: etiennevon[a]hotmail.com
-	'''South Africa'''
-	Gail Jennings
-	Tel: +27 83 658 5386
-	Skype: gail-galeforce
-	E-mail: gail@mobilitymagazine.co.za
-
-
-	'''Become a World Carfree Day Spokesperson'''
-
-	WCN works to promote and support World Carfree Day at the international level and therefore we are on the lookout for spokespeople from all continents to help with our promotion and information-sharing task. The task at hand consists of working with the media and communications on the lead up to and on the day. For more information please contact info[a]worldcarfree.net.
-
-
-	'''World Carfree Day Special Offer!'''
-
-	For World Carfree Network members only, we are providing some of our most popular Resource Centre items (including T-shirts, stickers, books) for you to sell or to give away at your events, at a reduced price. Please email orders[a]worldcarfree.net for more information and to place an order.
-
-
-	'''NOTES FOR EDITORS'''
-
-
-	1. World Carfree Day was established in 2000 as a grassroots movement by the World Carfree Network to coincide with the European Mobility Week. It has grown to involve official and unofficial participants in over 1,000 cities in 40 countries.
-
-	2. The World Carfree Network coordinates the promotion of global events of the World Carfree Day from its offices in Prague, Czech Republic. Activities of the Network include the publication of the quarterly Carbusters magazine and other carfree-related literature, and conducting the annual Towards Carfree Cities Conference.
-	3. The carfree movement is a broad, emerging network of individuals and organisations brought together by a shared belief that cars are far too dominant in most modern cities. The goal of the movement is to create places where car use is greatly reduced or eliminated, and to liberate road and parking space for public use.	+	Contact Details
-	4. For more information, visit http://www.worldcarfree.net/	+	Europe: Bonnie Fenton, Tel: (+49) 178/9 62 66 92, Email: bonnieinbremen@yahoo.de
		+	North America: Eleanor Blue, Tel: (+1) 503 810 9443 Email: eleanor.blue@gmail.com
-	'''QUOTES'''	+	South America: Étienne von Bertrab, Tel: (+5233) 1281-1307, Email: etiennevon@hotmail.com
		+	South Africa: Gail Jennings, Tel: (+27) 83 658 5386, Email: gail@mobilitymagazine.co.za
-	"World Carfree Day is not only a celebration of fun ways to get around the city, but a demonstration of what is possible: unclogged streets, clean air, and city traffic participants with their usual stress levels turned down drastically."	+	General inquiries: World Carfree Network, International Coordination Centre, Prague, Czech Republic,
-	- Carlos Pardo, Sustainable Urban Transport Project - Bogota, Colombia	+
-	"Streets overfilled with big-engined cars and traffic jams and in need of bicycle infrastructure are the main reasons that make us act. And of course we'd like to be part of the global carfree process and make our small citizens' contribution into the European integration of our country!"	+	Tel. (+420) 274-810-849, Email: info@worldcarfree.net
-	- Viktor Zahreba, Kyiv Cyclists' Association in Kiev, Ukraine	+

---

Revision as of 12:25, 19 September 2009

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Prague, September 20, 2009

Chuck the Clunkers on Sept. 22!

The word clunker refers to an old, worn-out vehicle, a car. By another definition a clunker is a failure; a flop. – I consider all cars as clunkers, flopped vehicles failing to meet any criteria of sensible means of transport, states Tanja Eskola from World Carfree Network. Let’s have a look at the true costs of car ownership for instance: Comparative studies show that in Europe, the average annual cost of a car is estimated to be around 6,000 - 9,000 Euros. That is to say a budget of around 500 to 750 Euros per month whereas in the majority of large European towns, a metro, tram or bus ticket costs around 1.5 Euro per unit. Car also is the greediest form of transport in terms of space: the same journey by bicycle takes up four times less room, by bus up to thirty times less. And needless to add, a car emits three times its own weight in pollutants every year, whereas a bicycle does not pollute.

– World Carfree Day, a showcase for just how our cities might look like, feel like, and sound like without cars, is an en excellent opportunity to rethink and rediscover our personal mobility and the urban environment we live in, encourages Eskola. With the economy in freefall it is well worth contemplating chucking the clunkers and exploring the alternatives!

World Carfree Day, an annual celebration of cities and public life, free from the noise, stress and pollution of cars, is intended to advance the economic, social and environmental benefits of self-propelled or mass transportation. It is meant to promote more sustainable ways of transportation and new ways of building and thinking the urbanism of our cities, allowing streets to be a living space, rather than only a transit space. Notes for editors

  1. World Carfree Day was established in 2000 as a grassroots movement by the World Carfree Network to coincide with the European Mobility Week. It has grown to involve official and unofficial participants in over 1,000 cities in 40 countries.
  2. The World Carfree Network brings together organizations and individuals dedicated to promoting alternatives to car dependence and automobile-based planning at the international level and working to reduce the human impact on the natural environment while improving the quality of life for all. Activities of the Network include the publication of the quarterly Carbusters Magazine and other carfree-related publications, and conducting the annual Towards Carfree Cities Conference.
  3. For more information, please visit www.worldcarfree.net.

Contact Details

Europe: Bonnie Fenton, Tel: (+49) 178/9 62 66 92, Email: bonnieinbremen@yahoo.de

North America: Eleanor Blue, Tel: (+1) 503 810 9443 Email: eleanor.blue@gmail.com

South America: Étienne von Bertrab, Tel: (+5233) 1281-1307, Email: etiennevon@hotmail.com

South Africa: Gail Jennings, Tel: (+27) 83 658 5386, Email: gail@mobilitymagazine.co.za

General inquiries: World Carfree Network, International Coordination Centre, Prague, Czech Republic,

Tel. (+420) 274-810-849, Email: info@worldcarfree.net