No mode of transportation can be more environmental-friendly than cycling. Because of this, more and more countries are encouraging their constituents to cycle to work every day by creating designated bike lanes and improving the overall road experience of cyclists.

But how does cycling truly help the environment? Everyone knows that it doesn’t use any fuel. Thus, it doesn’t emit carbon dioxide that contributes to climate change. However, cycling has other environmental benefits that can genuinely contribute to the healing of Mother Earth.

1. Cycling helps decrease air pollution.

As we’ve mentioned earlier, the most significant environmental benefit of cycling is that it doesn’t have harmful emissions that can affect the environment. Larger automobiles, on the other hand, continuously emit a combination of carbon dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, which are significantly detrimental to the environment, especially to our ozone layer.

Researches suggest that the highest contributor to these harmful emissions isn’t long drives but the daily transportation we do to get to work or run errands. These journeys only take less than two miles, which is an easy distance to cycle.

As of this year, the effects of air pollution via transport emissions have become more and more notable because of the continuous decline in air quality. Asthma prevalence, especially among children, has been rising in the United States and other parts of the world.

2. Cycling doesn’t contribute to noise pollution.

Noise pollution doesn’t only affect us humans, but it can also affect wildlife, thus, affecting the biodiversity of some places. Research conducted among densely populated areas suggests that loud noises produced in traffic significantly affect the reproduction of animals such as caterpillars and bluebirds, making them produce fewer offspring. 

Aside from this, unlike humans, who rely mostly upon our sense of sight, animals rely heavily on their sense of hearing to look for food and protect themselves from predators. This means the noisier their surroundings get; the more difficult it is for them to survive. 

Humans also tend to move away from places with excessive noise. This is why more and more people are moving out of cities and into the countryside. This will result in deforestation to make way for housing, which means less space for animals.

3. Cycling has less contribution to waste disposal. 

Bicycles have fewer parts to replace should you want to improve your ride. It also has fewer parts to dispose of compared to automobiles. 

While most people argue that some cycling accessories are more disposable than car accessories, as long as you get premium ones, this will not be the case. Aside from this, some cycling accessories are multi-use, such as bike lights. Aside from giving you road visibility, it can notify other road users of your movement and even become your anti-theft device.

4. Cycling protects biodiversity.

As mentioned earlier, the combination of air and noise pollution brought by heavy traffic can negatively affect the biodiversity of a specific place. 

A healthy ecosystem means good living conditions for all species, in which humans, plants, and animals can survive and co-exist with one another. Protecting our biodiversity helps reduce global warming, creating more green spaces. 

Good biodiversity also gives cyclists more fun and exciting cycling rides. This is why most cyclists prefer riding in the countryside. Just make sure to have a trusty GPS tracker in case of an emergency!

5. Cycling makes people appreciate the environment more.

Lastly, cycling makes people appreciate the environment more.

While cycling in the city, you’d hear all the noise, breathe all the emissions, and see everything that negatively affects nature. This will open your eyes and make you want to protect the environment more.

On the other hand, if you’re riding in the countryside with better biodiversity, you’ll get to experience the beauty of nature–the cold breeze on your face, the warmth of the sun on your skin, and the animals sometimes joining you on your ride. And you’d want to experience that every day. 

Cycling could be the most fun way to help the environment.

It’s high time everyone participates in environmental protection, but not all of us can chip into big ecological advocacies. Cycling could be the easiest and most fun way to help the environment. The simple act of cycling to your workplace every day can bring tremendous help to nature.