Every year, air, water, and land pollution are responsible for about 15% of premature deaths worldwide with most of these deaths occurring in developing countries. Recent data show worsening tendencies in mortality and morbidity attributed to pollution worldwide. Rapid urbanization and motorization are big players in air pollution. This is the reason why developed countries, especially in Europe are replacing cars with bicycles. If we improve the availability of bicycles and the facilities to support safe cycling, then they could offer a zero-carbon alternative to the car. It would also save us from billions of tons of carbon dioxide emissions in the coming decades.

Reduction in carbon emission

Cycling is getting more popular these days and there are different types of bikes. Traditional bikes are the most common ones. Nowadays, we have electric bikes also known as e-bikes. Electric bikes have the same wheels, handlebars, and body geometry. The mechanical elements all function the same way too. The only difference is the addition of an electric motor, a battery, and a display screen. The battery powers the bike motor which provides assistance as you pedal. An e-bike doesn’t change the style of cycling. It just makes it easier. When you are not racing, e-bikes make you ride faster and because of the ease with cycling, you don’t feel tired easily. Electric bikes are costlier than traditional bikes and help with maintaining clean air by not expelling carbon dioxide as motorized vehicles do.

More experiences of nature

Getting on a bike instead of in a car can create a big difference in people’s overall satisfaction with life. This is because when you cycle, it gets you closer to the natural environment on a regular basis and this has a way it works on your psyche and boosts your mood. The smell of the roses and the feasting of your eyes on the natural surroundings is a medicine for the human mind and soul.

Reduction in development of automotive infrastructure

With more cars, more roads need to be built to help reduce possible traffic. Each time a road is widened, a parking lot is constructed or a highway is built, the planet loses more of its green nature. The green of the earth helps with beautifying the environment, yes, but it also helps with absorbing toxic gases and cleaning the air. Housing wildlife is another advantage of the planet’s green. To slow down the development of automotive infrastructure, it is important to reduce the number of automobiles that the infrastructure is intended to cater for. Investing more in bicycles will ensure that. There won’t be a need to build more roads or make road expansions. This will help in reducing the losses in the planet’s green nature.

Physical health and relaxation benefits

Cycling helps build your muscles, eliminate excessive fat, strengthen your legs, increase endurance, and lower blood pressure. Riding a bike just like other aerobic exercises is known to improve sleep and make your heart healthier. Incorporating daily cycling into your lifestyle helps you live longer. Cycling also helps you make use of all your limbs at the same time and so helps to increase focus. It boosts the brain’s cognitive ability, reduces depression, and boosts your mood.

Biodiversity is boosted

Biodiversity describes the number and types of plants and animals that exist in an area. It describes life on earth and how it interacts with each other. It is important to have a high level of biodiversity since it provides a healthy ecosystem that is responsible for the type of food we eat, and the quality of our air and water. A change in climate is greatly affecting the amount of biodiversity we have on earth also. If the temperature gets warmer and the weather gets more unpredictable, only fewer species of plants and animals can survive. If we cycled for more of our shorter journeys, it would help boost biodiversity. This would create less noise, less air pollution, and results in fewer emissions that are warming the atmosphere.

Final word

Cycling is more than just a sporting event or a means of getting to your destinations quicker than walking. It is versatile across many terrains and most importantly, it is safe and clean for the planet. About a fifth of the world’s population is already in the practice of cycling and owns bikes. Cycling should be embraced more if we want to achieve green living, improve our lives in the process and also save our planet.