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Health and Human Services Agency recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign a Proclamation recognizing October 2019 as “Car-Lite Month” in the County of El Dorado, encouraging alternate forms of transporation when possible to reduce carbon emissions while raising awareness of health-promoting forms of transportation.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
“Car-Lite” or “Car-Free” is an annual tradition of reducing the use of automobiles for a specific time period that began in Europe in 1995. Awareness of these car-free days spread and, in each year since 2000, a date in September has been proclaimed annually as World Car-Free Day and is currently celebrated in over 1,500 cities and 40 countries.
Because the rural nature of El Dorado County makes it difficult for many residents to avoid car travel entirely, even for a single day, we established the month-long ‘Car-Lite’ campaign with the idea that everyone can reduce car travel at least a little bit. This El Dorado County campaign covers a full month to offer repeated prompts about the opportunities to reduce car-travel and to encourage some use of alternate forms of transportation when possible, such as walking and biking.
The Car-Lite campaign coincides with National Walk to School Day, an annual event that will take place on Wednesday, October 2, 2019. It continues the theme of reducing carbon emissions while encouraging health-promoting forms of transportation, such as walking and biking that have been celebrated by other events in the past like the Sacramento Area Council of Government’s Ready Set Ride regional campaign.
Purposes of Car-Lite October:
- Improving public health and quality of life through clean mobility and sustainable transport.
- Promoting alternative forms of transportation such as public transit, bicycling, and walking.
- Encouraging the use of carpools and vanpools.
- Using telework if available.
- Increasing awareness and use o...
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