PEDAL MORE, POLLUTE LESS
Basic Information:
· Transportation accounts for 28% of CO2 emissions
· CO2 emissions per passenger (grams per kilometer)
o Air: 130.2
o Passenger Car: 124.5
o Two-wheelers: 83.0
o City bus: 66.8
o Rail: 45.6
o Maritime: 43.1
o Coach: 343.3
http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/PublicTransportationsRoleInRespondingToClimateChange.pdf
Sustainable City Transportation Example: Curitiba, Brazil
· http://www.ted.com/talks/jaime_lerner_sings_of_the_city?language=en
Example: Beijing, pay subway fare by recycling plastic bottles
· http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/jul/04/beijing-recycling-banks-subway-bottles
· https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9FbFNndJ88
Example: Europe
Economic: Cost-Benefit Facts of Cycling
· Space-Saving: in the space of a standard parking lane one can fit 20 bicycles instead of one car.
· Versatility: given the fact that bicycles, from a legal standpoint, can occupy both sidewalks and city streets they are a more versatile mode of transport that allow for a more efficient delivery/transit route.
· Eco-friendly: bicycles are made with a fraction of the amount of resources most other modes of transport (i.e. Cars, Trucks, Trains, etc.) are, and in fact can be produced from recyclable goods in turn reconciling consumer good’s product cycles in more sustainable fashion.
sources used: (http://transalt.org/sites/default/files/resources/blueprint/chapter1/chapter1g.html
Cycling Health Facts:
· Depending on your riding style and local road conditions, you could easily burn 600 calories an hour through brisk cycling. Most bike commuters report losing 15 to 20 pounds during their first year in the saddle without changing their eating habits.
· A 135-pound woman pedaling 12 to 14 miles an hour blasts 488 calories in 60 minutes. (http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/bicycle-fitness?cat=18722)
· A study published in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics found that bike riding improved energy levels by 20 percent and decreased fatigue by 65 percent. Cycling triggers your brain to release the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is linked to energy. People in the study who pedaled at a low to moderate pace three times a week fought fatigue best. (http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/bicycle-fitness?cat=18722&tip=18718)
· In one study, researchers had 32 women ride at a moderate to high intensity three times a week for at least half an hour. After a year, they’d lowered their blood pressure and LDL, as well as significantly increased their aerobic fitness. (http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/bicycle-fitness?cat=18722&tip=18721)
· Stanford University School of Medicine researchers asked sedentary insomnia sufferers to cycle for 20-30 minutes every other day. The result? The time required for the insomniacs to fall asleep was reduced by half, and sleep time increased by almost an hour. (http://www.bikeradar.com/us/road/gear/article/30-reasons-to-take-up-cycling-23965/)
· Researchers from Illinois University found that a five percent improvement in cardio-respiratory fitness from cycling led to an improvement of up to 15 percent in mental tests. That’s because cycling helps build new brain cells in the hippocampus – the region responsible for memory, which deteriorates from the age of 30. (http://www.bikeradar.com/us/road/gear/article/30-reasons-to-take-up-cyclling-23965/)
· A study of 200 people carried out by the University of Bristol found that employees who exercised before work or at lunchtime improved their time and workload management, and it boosted their motivation and their ability to deal with stress. (http://www.bikeradar.com/us/road/gear/article/30-reasons-to-take-up-cycling-23965/)
· According to the National Forum for Coronary Heart Disease Foundation in the US, regular cyclists enjoy a fitness level equal to that of a person who’s 10 years younger. (http://www.bikeradar.com/us/road/gear/article/30-reasons-to-take-up-cycling-23965/)
· http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/transportation/stories/12-reasons-to-start-using-a-bicycle-for-transportation
· http://www.youcanbikethere.com/content/environmental-benefits-0
Facets of Sustainability 