If everybody cycled as much as the Dutch, global carbon emissions would drop by nearly 700 million tonnes per year.

A new University of Southern Denmark study - published by the Communications Earth & Environment journal - has urged people to saddle up like they do in the Netherlands.

Dutch people cycle an average of 2.6 kilometres each per day. If this pattern was replicated worldwide, the study suggests, annual global carbon emissions would drop by 686 million tonnes.

This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Australia.

“The significant untapped climate and health benefits of increasing bicycle use suggest an urgent need to promote sustainable bicycle use,” the authors conclude.

What are the environmental and health benefits of cycling?

There are plenty of reasons to get on your bike.

On an individual level, it is a great way to stay fit and healthy, staving off the chronic diseases associated with a sedentary lifestyle.

People who cycle to work have a 45 per cent lower risk of developing cancer, and a 46 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

But it’s not just good for you - it’s great for the environment, too.

The transport sector accounts for a quarter of global fuel-related greenhouse gas emissions, with half coming from private vehicles, including passenger cars and trucks.

Cars also contribute to air pollution, clogging the air with toxic chemicals and gases.

According to UK climate organisation Hubbub, 50 per cent of the journeys we take each day are less than 3.2 kilometres long - meaning they could feasibly be swapped out for bike rides.
How many people cycle worldwide?

According to the new study, bike production has ballooned over the last 60 years. 123 million bikes were produced in 2015 - up from 20.7 million bikes in 1962.

The study authors recognise that not everyone lives in a cycle-friendly place - but call for an “urgent” expansion of cycling infrastructure worldwide.

“Lessons learned from successful experiences in countries like Denmark and the Netherlands, particularly on the city level such as Copenhagen and Amsterdam, would be essential,” they write.

“These include but are not limited to, for example, proper bicycle lanes planning and construction, pro-bicycle education and culture, and policies to discourage car use through tax.”

https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/08/19/on-your-bike-if-we-all-cycled-like-the-dutch-global-emissions-drop-nearly-700-million-tonn

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> If everybody cycled as much as the Dutch, global carbon emissions would
> drop by nearly 700 million tonnes per year.

> Dutch people cycle an average of 2.6 kilometres each per day. If this
> pattern was replicated worldwide, the study suggests, annual global
> carbon emissions would drop by 686 million tonnes.

> This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most
> countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Australia.

Lunchtime news on BBC R4 this lunchtime reported that two islands, each
thought to have been about half the size of Anglesey, existed up to about a
thousand years ago off the coast of Wales. It is thought that rising sea
levels were responsible for the islands’ disappearance.

That is, of course, more than 800 years before the Industrial Age began.
The Industrial Age, that is, that has been blamed by some for what is
essentially a normal phenomenon, the warming of the planet after some
hundreds of years of a cooled climate., with the concomitant loss of Polar
ice and the subsequent rise in sea levels, we’ll before ‘industry’ (that
made all those bicycles) got going.

All the bicycling in the world won’t stop these processes.

> “The significant untapped climate and health benefits of increasing
> bicycle use suggest an urgent need to promote sustainable bicycle use,”
> the authors conclude.

Well, they would claim that, wouldn’t they?

> On an individual level, it is a great way to stay fit and healthy,
> staving off the chronic diseases associated with a sedentary lifestyle.

Some evidence to support that oft-made claim would be useful. Merely
trumpeting it yet again doesn’t make the claim any more true.

> People who cycle to work have a 45 per cent lower risk of developing
> cancer, and a 46 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

That’s too bald a claim. It is too easy to, for example, to compare apples
with oranges and obtain the desired result.

> But it’s not just good for you - it’s great for the environment, too.

Claptrap.

> The transport sector accounts for a quarter of global fuel-related
> greenhouse gas emissions, with half coming from private vehicles,
> including passenger cars and trucks.

> Cars also contribute to air pollution, clogging the air with toxic chemicals and gases.

So does the wind when it’s in the wrong direction.

What method do the authors suggest for stopping the wind when it’s in from
Africa?

> According to UK climate organisation Hubbub, 50 per cent of the journeys
> we take each day are less than 3.2 kilometres long - meaning they could
> feasibly be swapped out for bike rides.

Well, if the people of Hubbub believe that, then let them undertake it,
rather than trying to beat the world into the shape they perceive it should
be in.

> How many people cycle worldwide?

> According to the new study, bike production has ballooned over the last 60 years.

So have the numbers of people.

> 123 million bikes were produced in 2015 - up from 20.7 million bikes in 1962.

Apples and oranges again.

In 1962 the UK, along with many countries that had suffered the effects of
WWII, was well on its way to dumping the bicycle, cycling mileage
plummeting by 80% between 1950 and 1970. So to choose 1962 as a datum is to
inflate unrealistically the comparison with today.

But how many bicycles were thrown away?

No answer to these questions at:

> https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/08/19/on-your-bike-if-we-all-cycled-like-the-dutch-global-emissions-drop-nearly-700-million-tonn

--
Spike

On Sunday, 21 August 2022 at 13:52:12 UTC+1, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
> If everybody cycled as much as the Dutch, global carbon emissions would drop by nearly 700 million tonnes per year.
>
> A new University of Southern Denmark study - published by the Communications Earth & Environment journal - has urged people to saddle up like they do in the Netherlands.
>
> Dutch people cycle an average of 2.6 kilometres each per day. If this pattern was replicated worldwide, the study suggests, annual global carbon emissions would drop by 686 million tonnes.
>
> This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Australia.
>
> “The significant untapped climate and health benefits of increasing bicycle use suggest an urgent need to promote sustainable bicycle use,” the authors conclude.
>
> What are the environmental and health benefits of cycling?
>
> There are plenty of reasons to get on your bike.
>
> On an individual level, it is a great way to stay fit and healthy, staving off the chronic diseases associated with a sedentary lifestyle.
>
> People who cycle to work have a 45 per cent lower risk of developing cancer, and a 46 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
>
> But it’s not just good for you - it’s great for the environment, too.
>
> The transport sector accounts for a quarter of global fuel-related greenhouse gas emissions, with half coming from private vehicles, including passenger cars and trucks.
>
> Cars also contribute to air pollution, clogging the air with toxic chemicals and gases.
>
> According to UK climate organisation Hubbub, 50 per cent of the journeys we take each day are less than 3.2 kilometres long - meaning they could feasibly be swapped out for bike rides.
> How many people cycle worldwide?
>
> According to the new study, bike production has ballooned over the last 60 years. 123 million bikes were produced in 2015 - up from 20.7 million bikes in 1962.
>
> The study authors recognise that not everyone lives in a cycle-friendly place - but call for an “urgent” expansion of cycling infrastructure worldwide.
>
> “Lessons learned from successful experiences in countries like Denmark and the Netherlands, particularly on the city level such as Copenhagen and Amsterdam, would be essential,” they write.
>
> “These include but are not limited to, for example, proper bicycle lanes planning and construction, pro-bicycle education and culture, and policies to discourage car use through tax.”
>
> https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/08/19/on-your-bike-if-we-all-cycled-like-the-dutch-global-emissions-drop-nearly-700-million-tonn

And what about the global Helium shortage?

QUOTE: “These include but are not limited to, for example, proper bicycle lanes planning and construction, pro-bicycle education and culture, and policies to discourage car use through tax.” ENDS

I thought UK drivers are always moaning about the level of tax they have to pay?
It's to wean you off your harmful drugs.

On 21/08/2022 01:52 pm, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
> If everybody cycled as much as the Dutch, global carbon emissions would drop by nearly 700 million tonnes per year.
>
> A new University of Southern Denmark study - published by the Communications Earth & Environment journal - has urged people to saddle up like they do in the Netherlands.
>
> Dutch people cycle an average of 2.6 kilometres each per day. If this pattern was replicated worldwide, the study suggests, annual global carbon emissions would drop by 686 million tonnes.
>
> This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Australia.
>
> “The significant untapped climate and health benefits of increasing bicycle use suggest an urgent need to promote sustainable bicycle use,” the authors conclude.
>
> What are the environmental and health benefits of cycling?
>
> There are plenty of reasons to get on your bike.
>
> On an individual level, it is a great way to stay fit and healthy, staving off the chronic diseases associated with a sedentary lifestyle.
>
> People who cycle to work have a 45 per cent lower risk of developing cancer, and a 46 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
>
> But it’s not just good for you - it’s great for the environment, too.
>
> The transport sector accounts for a quarter of global fuel-related greenhouse gas emissions, with half coming from private vehicles, including passenger cars and trucks.
>
> Cars also contribute to air pollution, clogging the air with toxic chemicals and gases.
>
> According to UK climate organisation Hubbub, 50 per cent of the journeys we take each day are less than 3.2 kilometres long - meaning they could feasibly be swapped out for bike rides.
> How many people cycle worldwide?
>
> According to the new study, bike production has ballooned over the last 60 years. 123 million bikes were produced in 2015 - up from 20.7 million bikes in 1962.
>
> The study authors recognise that not everyone lives in a cycle-friendly place - but call for an “urgent” expansion of cycling infrastructure worldwide.
>
> “Lessons learned from successful experiences in countries like Denmark and the Netherlands, particularly on the city level such as Copenhagen and Amsterdam, would be essential,” they write.
>
> “These include but are not limited to, for example, proper bicycle lanes planning and construction, pro-bicycle education and culture, and policies to discourage car use through tax.”
>
> https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/08/19/on-your-bike-if-we-all-cycled-like-the-dutch-global-emissions-drop-nearly-700-million-tonn

Thank God we aren't the Dutch, eh?

Have you ever had a meal in a Dutch restaurant, for instance?

If you're thinking of it and are close to a border, go Belgian or German
instead. You won't regret it.

>

On Monday, 22 August 2022 at 01:04:00 UTC+1, JNugent wrote:
> On 21/08/2022 01:52 pm, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
> > If everybody cycled as much as the Dutch, global carbon emissions would drop by nearly 700 million tonnes per year.
> >
> > A new University of Southern Denmark study - published by the Communications Earth & Environment journal - has urged people to saddle up like they do in the Netherlands.
> >
> > Dutch people cycle an average of 2.6 kilometres each per day. If this pattern was replicated worldwide, the study suggests, annual global carbon emissions would drop by 686 million tonnes.
> >
> > This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Australia.
> >
> > “The significant untapped climate and health benefits of increasing bicycle use suggest an urgent need to promote sustainable bicycle use,” the authors conclude.
> >
> > What are the environmental and health benefits of cycling?
> >
> > There are plenty of reasons to get on your bike.
> >
> > On an individual level, it is a great way to stay fit and healthy, staving off the chronic diseases associated with a sedentary lifestyle.
> >
> > People who cycle to work have a 45 per cent lower risk of developing cancer, and a 46 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
> >
> > But it’s not just good for you - it’s great for the environment, too.
> >
> > The transport sector accounts for a quarter of global fuel-related greenhouse gas emissions, with half coming from private vehicles, including passenger cars and trucks.
> >
> > Cars also contribute to air pollution, clogging the air with toxic chemicals and gases.
> >
> > According to UK climate organisation Hubbub, 50 per cent of the journeys we take each day are less than 3.2 kilometres long - meaning they could feasibly be swapped out for bike rides.
> > How many people cycle worldwide?
> >
> > According to the new study, bike production has ballooned over the last 60 years. 123 million bikes were produced in 2015 - up from 20.7 million bikes in 1962.
> >
> > The study authors recognise that not everyone lives in a cycle-friendly place - but call for an “urgent” expansion of cycling infrastructure worldwide.
> >
> > “Lessons learned from successful experiences in countries like Denmark and the Netherlands, particularly on the city level such as Copenhagen and Amsterdam, would be essential,” they write.
> >
> > “These include but are not limited to, for example, proper bicycle lanes planning and construction, pro-bicycle education and culture, and policies to discourage car use through tax.”
> >
> > https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/08/19/on-your-bike-if-we-all-cycled-like-the-dutch-global-emissions-drop-nearly-700-million-tonn
> Thank God we aren't the Dutch, eh?
>

Which God would that be? There are 28 of them in the book of iron age fairy tales known as the Bible.

On Sunday, August 21, 2022 at 3:17:15 PM UTC+1, Mike Collins wrote:

> And what about the global Helium shortage?

Helium is like fossil fuels and will all be gone one day.

WHEN IT'S GONE - IT'S GONE!

On 22/08/22 18:39, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Sunday, August 21, 2022 at 3:17:15 PM UTC+1, Mike Collins wrote:
>
>> And what about the global Helium shortage?
>
> Helium is like fossil fuels and will all be gone one day.
>
> WHEN IT'S GONE - IT'S GONE!

Umm ... no.
Most helium is produced by radioactive decay of various elements deep in
the earth.
The helium percolates up and accumulates in natural gas reservoirs and
other places under the surface, before escaping to the atmosphere and
out into space.
So the helium will be all gone after everything has decayed - in about
nine billion years.

On Monday, August 22, 2022 at 10:00:38 AM UTC+1, Peter Keller wrote:
> On 22/08/22 18:39, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
> > On Sunday, August 21, 2022 at 3:17:15 PM UTC+1, Mike Collins wrote:
> >
> >> And what about the global Helium shortage?
> >
> > Helium is like fossil fuels and will all be gone one day.
> >
> > WHEN IT'S GONE - IT'S GONE!
> Umm ... no.
> Most helium is produced by radioactive decay of various elements deep in
> the earth.
> The helium percolates up and accumulates in natural gas reservoirs and
> other places under the surface, before escaping to the atmosphere and
> out into space.
> So the helium will be all gone after everything has decayed - in about
> nine billion years.

The alpha particles that make up the Helium reserves take many years to build up and the planet will not be here in 9 000 000 000 years anyway.

On Monday, 22 August 2022 at 10:00:38 UTC+1, Peter Keller wrote:
> On 22/08/22 18:39, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
> > On Sunday, August 21, 2022 at 3:17:15 PM UTC+1, Mike Collins wrote:
> >
> >> And what about the global Helium shortage?
> >
> > Helium is like fossil fuels and will all be gone one day.
> >
> > WHEN IT'S GONE - IT'S GONE!
> Umm ... no.

Actually Yes. There is a critical Helium shortage.

> Most helium is produced by radioactive decay of various elements deep in
> the earth.

Exactly.

There has been a recent discovery in Tanzania but that will only last 15 years.