While in Canada, Car Free Day amounts to little more than an appeal to voluntarily use another method of transportation or the closing of a few blocks for a form of street fair, in Brussels, they shut down the entire urban centre, amounting to 160 km2.  Granted, this was done on a Sunday, so they weren’t quite willing to impede regular commuting traffic.  However, in a city of over 1 million residents, with an ordinarily crowded, bustling centre (to a degree that isn’t even comparable to Ottawa), this was still a very big undertaking.

The effect was nothing short of dramatic.  Immediately below, I’ve got a split-screen photo of General Jacques, a major commuting road near my apartment.  On the left is a photo of General Jacques that I took yesterday afternoon at about 4pm, at the beginning of the commuter rush.  On the right is a photo of the street on Car Free Day.

Car Free Day in Brussels was incredible no because of what there was, but because of what there wasn’t: unpleasant smells, offensive noises and a general feeling of unease from the overwhelming domination of cars in our cities.  This last one I don’t even notice on a day to day basis, but it’s absence was palpable.  For that matter, I don’t notice many of the effects of cars on a given day of walking around the city, but when they were gone, there was an almost eerie calm, despite the fact that you were surrounded by dozens or hundreds of people.

Simply put, Brussels without cars was a much nicer, healthier and safer place to be.  Experiencing that was both inspiring and depressing, a sentiment which I’m sure I was sharing with thousands of other people in the city that day.

I’ll finish this post simply by showing a few more photos of the city.  All of the photos below were taken on major streets in Brussels, which are usually crowded with cars.

I’d participate, but will (sadly) be out of town.

You will travel Canada by bicycle for two months while living, playing and volunteering with an incredible community of hopeful, inspired youth. You’ll give theatrical performances that show how our daily actions can affect the environment, global poverty, and ourselves. You’ll gain the skills and confidence to create the change you want to see in the world! If you are between 18 and 30, volunteer for a 2008 Otesha Cycling and Performing Tour.

The Otesha Project is a youth-run charitable organization that uses theatre to mobilize young people to create local and global change through their daily choices.

There is more information and inspiration at www.otesha.ca (including a delectable selection of routes!). As well check out an interview with Kathleen Cote of the Otesha Project at www.mikepowell.ca. Especially after the Bali Conference, we know that our current way of life is harming the planet and its inhabitants. Only hope and action will remedy this. For a better future, we each must re-evaluate our own actions and BE the positive change we want to see in the world. Thank you.

Busses, Bikes and Automobiles An Ottawa Public Transit Forum for Youth

Special Guests:

1. Clive Doucet, Ottawa Capital Ward Councilor, will speak on municipal transport policy

2. Charles Akben-Marchand, President of Citizens for Safe Cycling, will speak on cycling policy

Saturday, November 24, 2007
5:00pm – 7:00pm
University of Ottawa, Monpetit Building, room 202

All are welcome and admission is free. For more information, please contact the Young Greens of Ottawa at younggreensofottawa@gmail.com