Originally Posted by
johnr783
You could also say what I usually say to people that mention the "green" aspect of cycling.
Some studies have said that cycling is a moot point on the green front because whatever carbon footprint is removed by not driving is put back through all the machines used for manufacture and transport of food. Since cyclist tend to eat more, the footprint is just moved to some other point.
That is a sloppy example of what I say but it is because I am thinking about what I am going to eat. Im pretty hungry. Im thinking macaroni salad with tortilla chips or fruity pebbles.
Another thing I dont like hearing is, "I bet you save a lot on gas money." Being the bubble-burster I am, I usually reply, "Not really, the money I save on gas and oil goes to bike gear."
I highly doubt I eat enough food to offset the balance to increase my carbon footprint to equalize. I would say its pretty negligable to see it in that light because the increase in food is probably only a few hundred calories a day. It takes energy to manufacture a car, but after the car is made the damage has been done which isn't much. The car continues to add damage to the environment while the bike doesn't really other than fixes on the frame and such.
Where are those studies you speak of, or is this just word of mouth B.S.?