We all know that cycling is good for one’s fitness, as well as providing an emission-free mode of transportation which benefits the ambient air environment. Today, we review research that quantified the benefits of substituting cycling for trips by motor vehicle of less than 8 km using the Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program (BenMAP). Results indicate 1,100 fewer deaths and $7 billion of savings or 2.5% of the total costs for health care in the U.S mid-west per year per 12 x 12 km2 gridbox.
Key Quotes:
“we quantified the potential health and monetary benefits of replacing short (≤ 4 km one-way) car trips with travel by bicycle (50% of trips)”
“28% of all car trips are ≤ 1.6 km..a distance that a typical European would walk …Another 41% of all trips are ≤ 3.2 km, a distance that many Europeans would be as likely to bicycle as to walk”
“A large fraction of emissions -- 25% of VOC and 19% of primary PM2.5 – are emitted in just the first few minutes of automobile operation, often known as cold start..Simulated changes in transportation and reductions in cold start frequency would decrease total NOx emissions by 5 -12% and total VOC emissions by 10 - 25%”
“eliminating short car trips and completing 50% of them by bicycle would result in mortality declines of approximately 1,100 deaths/year.. including 425 fewer deaths from improved air quality and 687 fewer deaths from increased physical activity”
“the combined benefit from improved air quality and physical fitness for the region would exceed $7 billion/year, which is equivalent to about 2.5% of the total cost of health care”
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