Get Out of the Car, Lose Weight
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 10.17.07
No Impact Man posts this interesting graph showing what happens when more of the population walks, cycles, or takes public transit: they are generally skinnier and healthier. Given that the alternatives to driving are all better for the environment, aid in the struggle for energy independence, and delay the impact of peak oil, Why do our planners and elected representatives even permit low density suburban development? Why do they not insist that everyone have access to good public transit? Why are there not bike lanes everywhere?
We suspect there might be other factors going on here as well, such as diet, (those deep fried mars bars spike the UK obesity rate) but it is interesting nonetheless. ::No Impact Man
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
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- Cheap Gas: Good or Bad?
- Election Day A Boon For Mass-Transit
- Quote of the Day: Don Blankenship on the Thin Edge of the Wedge
woah.. go sweden! :) USA need more expensive fuel maybe!?
I'm all for mass transit, and I think (at least as I've seen it in the US, anyway) it's woefully underutilized and underfunded in many urban areas. I would even agree that there's probably a correlation between a healthy population and how integral mass transit is to their culture and lifestyle.
However, I don't think a "skinny" population is necessarily a healthy one, or that a fat population is necessarily an unhealthy one. It seems more important to encourage mass transit because it's good for the planet, and not because it will prevent the world from being overrun by fatties.
It looks like it burns fewer calories to speak mostly English...
This correlation is indicative of the link between responsibility for one's health, for one's finances, for the environment and for society. It is my belief that responsibility in one tends to lead to responsibility in others. Bicycling is a clear example. Choosing to bicycle as often as possible helps you keep in shape, helps keep the environment in shape, helps keep your finances in shape and helps lessen a number of social problems. Cigarette smoking is much the same: smoking is bad for your health, for your pocketbook, for the environent and creates a number of social problems. Responsible behaviour in different areas is highly interlinked and interdependent. Being responsible in one area tends to mean responsibility in other areas and tends to lead to other responsible behaviours. Someone who bicycles a lot will probably be encouraged to stop smoking, eat healthier, spend money more wisely, be concerned about the environment and social issues. Whereas irresponsible behaviours tend to breed more irresponsible behaviours. If someone is responsible in one facet of life, he/she will tend to be responsible in other facets of life. And irresponsible people tend to be irresponsible on a large range of issues.
It would be interesting to see a few more national averages superimposed, too. Let's seee...
- house price
- population density
- price of gasoline/petroleum
- ...and - oh why not - national IQ level...!
Wow it's nice to know that good news about working enviromental awareness into your life, has been turned into yet another opportunity to assert one's purported superiority. Why is it that the self proclaimed sante vivants among us have become so sneering and condescending? Health used to be about enthusiaism and positivity, now it seems all about putting the usual suspects in their place, obviously different people are into 'health' nowadays for different reasons than in the past. If the survival of our planet depends on all of us, then it must include all of us, including those you despise and feel intellectually and morally above.
Wow it's nice to know that good news about working enviromental awareness into your life, has been turned into yet another opportunity to assert one's purported superiority. Why is it that the self proclaimed sante vivants among us have become so sneering and condescending? Health used to be about enthusiaism and positivity, now it seems all about putting the usual suspects in their place, obviously different people are into 'health' nowadays for different reasons than in the past. If the survival of our planet depends on all of us, then it must include all of us, including those you despise and feel intellectually and morally above.
Welcome to Treehugger, "Miz Thing"! What a constructive, positive first comment!
This is not a very good chart for one simple reason... the higher percent of those who walk is, the smaller and more densely populated the country is. That very much affects distances that people have to travel to work and availability of transit.
of course that doesnt excuse such things like drive through mcdonalds and bank machines...
Welcome to Treehugger, "Miz Thing"! What a constructive, positive comment!
I use mass transit. I walk everywhere I can. I'm still fat.
There's a lot of hate-based correlations in here, and despite media's crappy representation, obesity is not a sign the world is ending. However, walking everywhere has improved my health.
Cheap, crappy tactic, and poorly researched. Shame.