Saving Lives By Sharing Bikes

Cycling is cleaner for the environment & much cheaper than driving cars (especially so here in Singapore). Now there may be more reason to do ride your bikes to work.

In a paper published by Spanish investigators in the British Medical Journal early this month, they found that bike sharing (in 181 982 participants) can actually help save lives in urban environments.

After accounting for air pollution and traffic mortality, the authors found that bike sharing prevented the deaths of at least 12 people each year as a result of the exercise.  Annual carbon dioxide emissions were reduced by about 9 062 344 kg.

Reference
Rojas-Rueda D, de Nazelle A et al (2011). The Health Risks And Benefits Of Cycling In Urban Environments Compared With Car Use: Health Impact Assessment Study.  BMJ 343: d452.

* Picture from Flickr by Steve Caddy.