Originally posted by bvelo
As long as we buy up the latest technologies like this they will continue to produce them. It costs environmental degradation to produce technologically advanced cycling equipment. It is just a fact.
I'm not saying that it's bad. I just think there is a lot of polution involved in making bicycles these days.
I understand you're playing devil's advocate here, and your point about buying new products has merit.
But let's get some perspective on this claim that producing bicycles damages the environment.
When you compare the pollution produced to manufacture a bicycle to the pollution produced to make a car, there is no comparison. Next, when you consider that your bike will need less costly maintenance than your car, and the fact (which Jean Beetham Smith mentioned elsewhere) that one oil change for your car will produce more toxic, used oil than your bike will need in its lifetime, the bike looks even better. Add to that the fact that you may buy as many as 4 new cars during the life of a good
bicycle, and the bike wins by an infinite margin.
Throw in the environmental destruction caused by paving/repaving/maintaining highways and parking areas, exhaust gasses, oil drilling, freon contamination, etc. and I begin to wonder if we have really advanced ourselves at all, inventing the motorcar.
:confused:
I am not against progress. But as someone else said, do we need a two-ton metal and glass cage with 100 horses to pull ourselves around in? I say, let's use cars and trucks only when necessary. Use bikes and walking whenever possible.
:thumbup: