Long Island will join in the observance of Car Free Day – an international event on Monday, September 22 - that encourages drivers to leave their cars at home for a day.
Participants will be asked to pledge their commitment to being car free or car-light on the 2nd Annual Car Free Day Long Island. Car Free Day LI is being organized by a broad-based group of Long Island leaders from major employers, business, civic and environmental groups, universities and municipalities. Commuters, students and families can pledge to go car free or car-lite at the Car Free Day LI website (www.carfreedayli.com). Participants are also eligible to win raffle prizes including commuter bikes, gift cards, theater tickets and more.
In support of the event, Farmingdale State College will host an Island-wide rally on Thursday, September 18 from 2-4 PM that will promote the use of commuting alternatives such as trains, buses, carpooling, biking, and walking, as well as options such as combining errands, compressed work weeks, telecommuting, and/or living in a transit-oriented development (TOD) community. Information will be available on these alternatives. The event will take place at the Campus Center Patio, behind the Campus Center.
The rally will feature information provided by organizations such as 511NYRideshare, Transit Solutions, the Sierra Club of Long Island, Sustainable LI and North Shore-LIJ Health Systems.
Guest speakers – including Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone - will address issues such as the environmental, economic, and health impacts of single occupancy vehicles. Workshops on behavioral change, transit-oriented development on Long Island, and green–fleet technology have also been scheduled.
“We’re thrilled that Farmingdale State College will be hosting our Car Free Day LI Rally,” said Rosemary Mascali, Manager of Transit Solutions and Co-Chair of the Car Free Day LI event. “We’re looking forward to a fun and informative afternoon.”
“Since the early days of Farmingdale’s founding over 100 years ago, the campus community has supported environmental conservation.” said Farmingdale President Hubert Keen. “Supporting Car Free Day and hosting this rally is a natural for us. Car Free Day will help educate the public that using motor vehicles less by using alternative methods of transportation helps reduce traffic, conserve energy, lower harmful emissions, and reduce parking congestion. As we say, Green Then. Green Now.”
