Active travel can help tackle the climate crisis earlier than electric vehicles – even if you swap the car for a bike for just one trip a day.

Globally, only one in 50 new cars were fully electric in 2020, and one in 14 in the UK. Sounds impressive, but even if all new cars were electric now, it would still take 15-20 years to replace the world’s fossil fuel car fleet.

The emission savings from replacing all those internal combustion engines with zero-carbon alternatives will not feed in fast enough to make the necessary difference in the time we can spare: the next five years. Tackling the climate and air pollution crises requires curbing all motorised transport, particularly private cars, as quickly as possible. Focusing solely on electric vehicles is slowing down the race to zero emissions.

  • Redfugee@lemmy.world
    4·
    10 months ago

    When I did groceries with a bike I just used a backpack and made more frequent trips. I think it was practical because going more frequently meant I had more fresh foods and could get just a thing or 2 to utilize other things I already had on hand. It also helped get in a little extra exercise. Granted, this was shopping for 2 and not 4.

    Moving things is still probably going to require a car but that’s more of an edge case and not a daily thing.

    • set_secret@lemmy.world
      41·
      10 months ago

      idk man i think there is a hell of a lot of families that need regular groceries who work full time. I don’t think you could call this an edge case.