Bicycling in the City is Good for You, Despite Air Pollution

A recent study shows that bicyclists absorb more carbon soot in their lungs than pedestrians or drivers. But new reports argue that the benefits of the exercise far outweigh the downsides.

1 minute read

October 10, 2011, 9:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur

Conrad deFiebre dissects the argument, explaining that yes, studies show a small increase in mortality for bicyclists in polluted areas:

"But this downside is outweighed nearly 100 to 1 by the health and fitness advantages of cycling. The British Medical Journal study found that one more bicyclist might die over seven or eight years from air pollution compared with drivers, while more than 12 lives would be saved each year by the health benefits of cycling."

DeFiebre also takes on Wendell Cox, who argues that the increase in pollution is an argument against densification.

FULL STORY: Smart growth's dirty little secret: How dirty, how little, how secret?

Sunday, October 9, 2011 in Twin Cities Daily Planet

Social / Demographics Transportation World Cities Air Pollution Densification City Bicycling View More

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