Go Green!

Something strange, yet interesting happened in UB last Saturday.  There was a "Green Party" in the main area of downtown (which includes the block where we live).  Streets were blocked off; buses and cars weren't allowed on the streets.  Everyone was encouraged to walk, bike, or skate to their destinations.  It was amazing.  As you can see from the photo below, it was a beautiful, blue-sky day, and only a light jacket was needed. 



The Flower Center corner is usually FULL of traffic from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m.  Last year, we lived right across the street from this Flower Center building (our first apartment March 2010 until September 2010).  Here, you can see fashionable ladies and gentlemen, taking advantage of the freedom to walk down the middle of the street since cars and buses had been banned from the streets for 7 hours on Saturday.


 I must say, it was eery. I felt like perhaps aliens had descended on the city and stolen all the vehicles. It was amazing walking through these streets with no exhaust fumes puffing up into my lungs.

This platform, usually used by policemen to direct traffic, is being used during the "Green Party" time, as a stage for a singer who was working on a music video.

The Green Party was from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. We were back in our apartment by 4:45, and it wasn't long before I started to hear the honking of impatient drivers who had finally been let loose.


I would love to see this happen more often.  It makes me wonder how it might improve the pollution levels by just subtracting a few hours of traffic exhaust in the center of the city?!