Air pollution, traffic jams, noise – these are what vehicles can bring to our everyday lives.
World Carfree Day is an international event celebrated on September 22 every year, with the initiative aiming to inspire cleaner and more sustainable ways to travel, and a reduction in traffic and emissions. People are encouraged to cycle or walk instead of driving a car.
VCG Photo
So how can a day without cars benefit Beijing? Let's do the math.
Imagine the average mid-sized sedan with a 1.6-liter engine drives about 27 kilometers per day, and the average diesel consumption is 0.11 liters per kilometer, so a mid-sized family car will consume 2.97 liters of diesel per day.
According to data from the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, Beijing had nearly six million vehicles on the streets by the end of 2017.
Assuming one million vehicles are mid-sized sedans, let's think about what would happen if they all disappeared for a day.
One million cars will use 2.97 million liters of diesel or 984,591 gallons per day.
Leaving those vehicles at home will eliminate eight million kilograms of carbon emission, the equivalent of planting 650 million trees.
The price of diesel is currently around 2.80 US dollars per gallon.
One day without driving will save drivers over 2.76 million US dollars.
Parents are cycling with their kids. /VCG Photo
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 4.2 million people are at the risk of premature deaths annually due to outdoor air pollution. Vehicular emissions – which contain PM 2.5, 10 and noxious gases like nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide – are a major contributor to the air pollution.
Experts believe using public transport and fuel-efficient vehicles will not only help control pollution but free up money for governments to spend in key priority areas like poverty alleviation or disease control.
So on September 22, leave your car at home, and take the bus or ride a bike to help make Beijing a cleaner place.
Scriptwriter: Pan Zhaoyi
English editor: Matthew Arrington Watson
Voice-over: Matthew Arrington Watson
Video producer: Zhou Tingyu
Animation producer: Pan Yufei