IF ALL Sydney's car commuters stopped their vehicles two kilometres away from work today, got out and walked the rest of the way, the city would be spared 1200 tonnes of carbon emissions.
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If they did the same thing every working day for a year, the reduction would be 312,000 tonnes.
It may be naive to think 1.2 million Sydneysiders would ditch their cars for climate change, but thousands will begin that journey with a single step today.
Working people across the city are taking part in the 10th annual walk to work day, leaving cars, trucks and motorbikes at home to make part or all of their daily commute on foot.
"Despite everything that has been said and written about climate change, we are actually becoming more car dependent - particularly for trips under two kilometres," the founder of Planet Ark and avid walker Jon Deek said.
"Every kilometre that we choose to walk instead of drive is half a kilogram less of greenhouse gasses released into the atmosphere."
If the opportunity to reduce carbon emissions is not enough to coax commuters out of their cars, organisers of this event are also appealing to Sydney pragmatism.
According to Access Economics, the loss of productivity as a result of obesity amounts to $3.6 billion a year with a further $2 billion spent on treating the health problems associated with the condition.
Walking has also been shown to assist in the treatment of mild to moderate depression, which accounts for three to four days off work a month for those who experience it.
Then there is the universal language: cash.
Every kilometre walked instead of driven represents a saving of 20c in car operating costs.
"You don't have to walk all the way to work, just part of it," the president of the Health Productivity Institute of Australia, John Lang said. "Forget about the diet shakes, fitness machines and fad diet programs and get walking."
