Summer 2022

Slowing Climate Change: How Active Transport Can Benefit Your Environment and Your Health

Nashira I. Brown, MS^âœ‰; Erica A. Schleicher, MS^âœ‰; Kyle I Kershner, MS^âœ‰; Diane K. Ehlers, PhD^âœ‰; Angela J. Fong, PhD^âœ‰; and Dori Pekmezi, PhD^âœ‰; Physical Activity SIG

Benefits of Active Transportation for Climate Change and Public Health

Increasing active transportation (AT; e.g., walking, bicycling, public transit) can reduce the impact humans are having on climate change and improve both individual and public health.^1-5 AT has been associated with improved health outcomes (e.g., quality of life, aerobic fitness, decreased risk of chronic diseases, in addition to executive function and cognition),^6,7 and increased longevity.^3,8 U.S. data indicates that AT is associated with more adults meeting recommended levels of physical activity, ^9-12 and lower prevalence of obesity and diabetes.^4,7,13,14 AT also benefits the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with car-based transit (e.g., dioxide equivalent).^3,15 Previous research shows programs promoting AT can help combat climate change by decreasing air pollutants and protecting environmental resources (e.g., less gas consumption).^15,16 Thus, AT is uniquely situated to address public health concerns related to both climate change¹⁷ and a sedentary lifestyle.^18,19

Prevalence of Active Transportation (and Challenges)

Despite the environmental and health benefits, AT rates in the U.S. (4-16%) are lower than many other developed nations (34.9- 37.9% in France and the Netherlands), likely due to mixed land use, car-free zones, traffic regulations that support cyclists and pedestrians, and public transportation availability.²⁰ Within the US, there are rural-urban differences,²¹ with higher AT rates in urban areas where frequented locations such as schools and grocery stores are within close proximity (e.g., 20-minute bicycle ride).²² Conversely, in rural areas, AT infrastructure (e.g., sidewalks, bike lanes, pedestrian crossings) are often lacking,²³ and grocery stores, jobs, and schools are typically located more than 20 miles from home.²⁴ Subsequently, “car culture,” or excessive use/reliance on motor vehicles, remains dominant in rural regions²⁵ and likely contributes to existing rural health disparities. Thus, a multi-level approach will be needed to effectively promote AT.

Strategies for Encouraging Active Transport

Multi-level approaches promoting AT include individual/interpersonal level behavioral strategies along with policy and environmental changes.² Interventions targeting interpersonal/organizational levels (e.g., improving AT knowledge and attitudes among office employees) have increased physical activity and decreased car-based transit.^26-28 Effective interpersonal/organizational interventions promote AT by creating rich social atmospheres where AT is encouraged through AT-based social events, organization-wide AT marketing, personalized AT plans, and addressing individual barriers for AT.^28,29 These efforts can be augmented by government campaigns to increase accessibility/awareness of safe and reliable AT options (e.g., light rail signage³⁰ and street connectivity/housing density1), mixed land-use (e.g., residential developments incorporating spaces for work/shopping/recreation),³¹ and publicly available AT equipment renting options (e.g., public bike/scooter renting programs).³²

Grassroots organizations can add to these interventions by encouraging the use of public transit and creating infrastructure promoting AT.³³ For example, Bike Walk Nebraska³⁴ and Heartland Bike Share³⁵ have collaborated with schools to educate families on safe cycling routes to schools, institutions/businesses to offer free bike rentals to employees, and government to add protected bike lanes. Similar programs may include promoting financial incentives/disincentives (e.g., free bike renting or road-use tolls),³⁶ city-wide AT equipment (e.g., bikes, scooters) renting,³² and inserting “greenway systems” connecting urban, suburban, and rural communities via walking/cycling trails.³⁷

Individuals interested in AT should begin by identifying safe routes to walk, bike, or scooter to frequented destinations and seek local renting stations for AT-related equipment (e.g., bike sharing stations). Higher level promotion of AT can be accomplished through appealing to government officials (e.g., urban planners) to affect policy and infrastructure planning, joining local, state, and national organizations (e.g., the Active Transport Alliance,³⁸ Safe Routes Partnership³⁹) If done concomitantly, these policy, environmental, and individual-level interventions have the potential to increase AT and thereby promote reductions in climate change and improved health.

Here are some useful resources/websites for those interested in starting their AT journey:

East Coast Greenway Routes: https://www.greenway.org/route-map
B-Active Map for Active Transportation Facilities: https://www.b-activeplan.com/map.html
Global Bike Sharing Map: https://bikesharemap.com/#/3/-60/25/
Lime Electric Bike and Scooter Locator Map: https://www.li.me/locations
Lyft Bike https://www.lyft.com/bikes and Scooter https://www.lyft.com/scooters Locator
California Bike Coalition Maps/Routes https://www.calbike.org/go_for_a_ride/map_routes/

References