Being healthy, keeping the world healthy for others, and being concerned about something other than dollars when we talk about investments and infrastructure: these are parts of being a good man.
Can you say your business plan is complete if it hasn’t taken the next seven generations into consideration? If it makes you the “man who sold the world”?
According to Grist.org, the city of Copenhagen is a healthier, wealthier place because of the large population (around 80%) of bicycle-commuters:
“When all these factors are added together the net social gain is DKK 1.22 per cycled kilometer. For purposes of comparison there is a net social loss of DKK 0.69 per kilometer driven by car.” 1.22 Danish crowns is about 25 cents and a kilometer is 6/10 of a mile, so we are talking about a net economic gain to society of 42 cents for every bicycle mile traveled. That’s a good number to have in your back pocket”
All in all, it is figured that the city of Copenhagen saves $357 million a year in health costs because of all of these bike commuters.
So, how can the rest of us be more like Copenhagen?
Photo courtesy of Hunter-Desportes