Thread by @spicygarage

@newitguy2 @SecretaryPete You're right: #bike manufacturing/operation does pollute, just much less than cars.

Data from the standard EcoInvent lifecycle database shows that:

• Typical Dutch bike: 96kg CO2e release incl. 19,200-km lifecycle parts = 5g of CO2e per km
• Food: 16g CO2e
• Total: 2️⃣1️⃣g/km

@newitguy2 @SecretaryPete Interesting: cycling releases 2.7 times less CO2e than walking (56g CO2e per km).

Now let's do cars:

@newitguy2 @SecretaryPete According to ADME (the French environment and energy management agency), the average European car produces 6.6 tons of CO2e during manufacture, and will travel 157,000km in its lifetime.

That works out to 42g CO2e per kilometre from production emissions alone.

@newitguy2 @SecretaryPete Fuel: for short journeys that compare with cycling, the average European car emits 266g CO2e per kilometre of driving, including both tailpipe and well-to-tank emissions.

Per occupant: (1.16/car for these journeys) 229g CO2e per passenger-km from fuel use & manufacturing.

@newitguy2 @SecretaryPete So the total CO2e per passenger-km lifecycle emissions are:

• #bike: 21g
• Car: 271g

So yes, bikes do pollute.

13 times less than cars.

@newitguy2 @SecretaryPete Source, and additional info on methodology and lifecycle emissions of electric bikes and cars: bikeradar.com/features/long-…

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