Finding an eco-friendly transport option in a car-focused world is not entirely a simple task. The case for switching out cars for bikes may be a strong one, but is it entirely practical? Let’s explore the impact vehicles like this have on the immediate and wider environment, and how switching cars for bikes can be a better option in eco cities.

What Harm Do Cars Actually Do to the Environment?

Cars are not the only thing on the roads by a long shot, but they certainly are leading perpetrators of dangerous pollutants in the air. It’s not just the fact that they cause such levels of harmful emissions, it is also the way the infrastructure that supports them affects biodiversity factors as well. There are three big things to highlight.

One: Fossil Fuel Usage

Diesel or petrol, it doesn’t matter. Fossil fuels are directly linked to Co2 emissions and need to be better protected. Yet, millions of cars need them in order to function and people are burning this pollution into the atmosphere every single day. There is no mainstream option for electric vehicles as things stand, and it is far more common to see fuel-powered engines out on the roads. So, this is one big area that severely impacts the narrative.

Two: Environmental Factors

Cars are also taking over areas of natural beauty, for instance, creating a pedestrian zone in the inner city where a green space once stood is a common practice in modern times. Yet, it shouldn’t be. The ways that this affects biodiversity are unforgivable. Wildlife, plants, and general nature are being severely impacted as a direct result of infrastructure demand and this is in no way conducive to positive eco-practices.

Three: Noise and Air Quality

Cars are noisy machines when they are starting up, during a drive, and even when cooling down. The sheer volume emitted from the thousands of vehicles that travel around the cities every day is a significant drain on people’s well-being and the Earth as well. It is also worth noting that, thanks to the harmful emissions, air quality is severely impacted too. Eco cities, however, would dramatically change this, especially if we made it easier to get around.  

What About the Areas Between?

It is hard to argue that there is no grey area. The question of how to become more eco-friendly with transport choices can’t just stop at switching out cars for bikes, after all. What about the areas in between? You can’t cycle a bike around the golf course, it simply wouldn’t be practical.

What you can do, however, is ensure that if you are riding a golf cart as a part of your weekly game, you seek out eco-focused excellent support when it comes to which parts you use and how you maintain it. Small changes like this make a world of difference to the bigger picture and will support any movements you make in daily life as well.

Why Bikes in Eco Cities?

Bicycles have a lot to offer, environmentally speaking. They have no engines to speak of and are entirely free from fossil fuel consumption in every way possible. They are quick enough to be practical for inner-city living and facilitate those who live in more rural areas to access public transport links as well.

Will they ever really replace cars? Well, it is nice to think that they could one day be the primary mode of transport, but there has to be a consideration for the bigger picture as well. Bicycles will play a role, but there should also be a continued research avenue on ensuring cars become more eco-centric as they evolve and develop. The industry is changing, and so is the world.

Eco-friendly transportation looks like many different things in 2023. Bicycles are a relevant player, and the narrative around cars is forever shifting towards a greener future. There is much to come, especially as eco cities continue to evolve.