A brief reminder about the carbon footprint
You've probably noticed that when we talk about the environment, and more specifically our impact on it, we often use the term carbon footprint. But before showing you how cycling could become your best ally in fighting climate change, it's worth explaining what the carbon footprint is.
It's nothing complicated; the carbon footprint measures greenhouse gas emissions. This measurement depends on the emission factors of all the inputs involved in the activity, particularly those associated with energy sources. Indeed, these are the ones that emit the most CO2.
📝First of all, a quick reminder about greenhouse gases. Too often, greenhouse gases are associated only with CO2, which is a mistake. Greenhouse gases are gases naturally present in the Earth's atmosphere that help trap heat near the Earth's surface. These gases include water (H2O) in vapor form, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), as well as nitrous oxide (N2O) and ozone (O3).
The carbon footprint is measured using a product's Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Then two different approaches can be considered:
- Use of emissions due to energy consumption
- Use of emissions due to supply chains and all upstream energy transformations (production, transport, distribution) and downstream (recycling)
This carbon footprint measurement is usually expressed in g of CO2 equivalent per kWh.
Global Footprint Network offers another definition of the carbon footprint:
Bike VS Car
In France, less than 5% of French people use their bike daily. Many of us still prefer to use cars to get to work for various reasons: schedules, trip length, ease of travel, bad weather, speed, etc. Nevertheless, using a bike to commute to work would be a great service to the planet.
Indeed, whether we consider a combustion or electric car, the latter emits between 5500kg and 8500kg of CO2. This is equivalent to the production of 50 classic bicycles.
Still hesitating? In addition to reducing your carbon footprint and thus preserving our beautiful blue planet, using your bike daily will allow you to finally escape the morning stress and traffic jams. Cycling is full of benefits.
Are some bikes more polluting than others?
Even if cycling has a lower carbon footprint than driving, some bikes are not so environmentally friendly.
Indeed, if we pay attention to the different sources of CO2 emissions during bike manufacturing, we can see that materials play an important role, especially the bike's frame. For a mountain bike, 17% of CO2 emissions are in the frame, and for a racing bike, these emissions amount to 29%. Such a difference can be explained by the use of carbon in this type of bike, which is 3 times more polluting than aluminum.
If we consider an electric assist bike (EAB) this time, it emits 50% more carbon than a classic mechanical bike. And for this type of bike, 15% of carbon emissions are in the battery. Ultimately, it is important to remember that the more technological innovations you add to your bike, the higher the environmental cost will be.
Alternatives to buying a new bike?
With a view to further reducing our carbon footprint, but also to being able to get around, the question of buying a bike arises, as do its alternatives.
Today, to address this question, new solutions are emerging, such as bike rental or buying second-hand.
A good way to reduce your carbon footprint when buying a bike is to inquire about its manufacturing location. Indeed, a bike that is manufactured, assembled, and whose materials come from France will have a much lower carbon footprint! For this, we strongly recommend that you research the different brands and what they offer to address the environmental disruptions we are experiencing.
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