Come Tuesday, several residents from Hiranandani Gardens, Powai, as well as Kandivli, will join a world community to promote the World Car Free Day 2009, for the first time in the city. Along with several office-goers across UK, USA, South America and New Zealand, the participants will abandon their private automobiles for public transport and bicycles to promote eco-friendly day-to-day commuting. In a string of awareness campaigns beginning at 9.30 am and continuing till 5.30 pm, school students will also promote car pooling, public transport and walking as viable and easy options.

“The Car Free Day is our attempt to remind the world that we don’t have to accept our car-dominated society. Since this is the first time Mumbai will participate in the drive, we have decided to involve children in the programmes,” explained Elsie Gabriel, founder of the Young Environmentalists Porgramme Powai. The programme will include a cycle rally at Thakur complex Kandivli at 9.30 am wherein 100 cyclists of different age groups will ply on the streets in peak hour traffic, holding up banners and messages imploring commuters to join the awareness campaign.

According to Nafisa Bhinderwala, the principal of Children’s Academy School, her students would participate in the campaign and are also conducting a survey on the pollution arising out of the vehicles on the road.

Bhinderwala said, “Carbon emissions are responsible for the dramatic rise in global temperatures. We are already seeing the consequences and it is time to act. Governments and scientists can’t solve this problem alone. Each one of us is responsible and each one of us must be part of the solution.”

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