Fossil fuel pollution is costing us dearly
Pollution is much more expensive than you might imagine. Of course not only in economic terms. Our health pays the price. So do our cities and our planet. Here we explain how.
At Capri Bikes we work to be part of the change by turning this vicious circle around, by improving our mobility as individuals and making it more conscious and sustainable, we help to improve the health of our cities and the planet.
This model (individual-city-planet) is valid in each and every one of our acts of consumption and we encourage you to reflect on it, but now we are going to analyse how the burning of fossil fuels affects our health and our economy.
According to Greenpeace, fuel pollution costs $8 billion every day. The most obvious cost is health care, but it is certainly not the only one.
Referring again to the Greenpeace study with the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), fossil fuels (mainly coal, oil and gas) are the biggest polluters. In other words, they have the greatest environmental (and therefore economic) impact.
It is estimated that pollution causes some 4.5 million deaths per year worldwide, and generates an economic impact similar to 3.3% of the world's GDP. An impact that, as a consequence of Global Warming, will continue to grow.
If we analyse the real cost of fossil fuels, we can see that they are an expensive and inefficient source of energy, even though they continue to be the main source of energy in most of the world.
Furthermore, referring again to the conclusions of the Greenpeace study, "neither the producers of fossil fuels nor their main consumers assume the external costs of burning coal or oil derivatives". In other words, we are dealing with a privatisation of the benefits as opposed to a socialisation of the problems.
The electric bike as an instrument to help curb dependence on fossil fuels.
Ending dependence on fossil fuels would bring significant health and economic benefits, not only to protect our health, but also to curb climate change and its devastating consequences. Fortunately, more and more solutions are becoming available and accessible. In terms of mobility (one of the main sources of pollution), the emergence of electric bicycles is a milestone for mobility and commuting in our cities.
We know that the average speed of a car in the city is 15 km/h and that with an electric bicycle you can effortlessly reach 25 km/h. We also know that the average car journey in the city is less than 10 kilometres. The math works out.
Commuting or simply getting around town on an electric bike for any other errand is much better for the individual, for the city and for the planet. Of course, alongside these mobility solutions, there must be a strong commitment to quality public transport.
People everywhere demand clean air and less noise in our cities and governments must act accordingly. And they must do so urgently. There is literally no time for more.
Despite the incredible social, economic and environmental cost caused by air pollution, most cities are still designed with a strategy that puts the car at the centre, something that puts at risk not only our health, but also the necessary reduction of emissions to tackle the climate crisis.
From Capri Bikes we invite citizens to reflect on their models of consumption, living and moving around. We encourage people not to wait any longer to make their lives better, their cities better and, in short, the world a little better with each of their decisions.
