Comments on: Walking is bad for the planet http://walkit.com/2009/01/walking-is-bad-for-the-planet/ The urban walking route planner Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:58:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Steve Gerrish http://walkit.com/2009/01/walking-is-bad-for-the-planet/comment-page-1/#comment-238 Steve Gerrish Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:11:17 +0000 http://www.walkit.com/blog/?p=79#comment-238 Of course, we 'burn' energy when we are sitting in the car and when we are doing whatever we do with the time saved by driving rather than walking. The food to replace that needs to be taken out of the equation. This illustrates the complexity of calculating carbon footprints, and unfortunately allows vested interests to come up with carbon footprints to suit their needs (e.g. incinerator companies can make their process look good from a greenhouse gas point of view by conveniently ignoring a distant part of the lifecycle of the whole process.) The only bit of the problem that is NOT complex is the input of fossil fuel (oil, coal, gas). If we start to turn that tap off by an escalating tax directly on the producers of the raw material (crude oil production, gas production and coal extraction), the relative environmental costs of transport and food production will re-balance themselves. (I believe this is the central theme of a recent book by Oliver Tickell, which I have not read yet, or even found the title - but I heard about it by word of mouth.) Of course, we 'burn' energy when we are sitting in the car and when we are doing whatever we do with the time saved by driving rather than walking. The food to replace that needs to be taken out of the equation. This illustrates the complexity of calculating carbon footprints, and unfortunately allows vested interests to come up with carbon footprints to suit their needs (e.g. incinerator companies can make their process look good from a greenhouse gas point of view by conveniently ignoring a distant part of the lifecycle of the whole process.) The only bit of the problem that is NOT complex is the input of fossil fuel (oil, coal, gas). If we start to turn that tap off by an escalating tax directly on the producers of the raw material (crude oil production, gas production and coal extraction), the relative environmental costs of transport and food production will re-balance themselves. (I believe this is the central theme of a recent book by Oliver Tickell, which I have not read yet, or even found the title – but I heard about it by word of mouth.)

]]> By: Ezekiel http://walkit.com/2009/01/walking-is-bad-for-the-planet/comment-page-1/#comment-237 Ezekiel Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:12:28 +0000 http://www.walkit.com/blog/?p=79#comment-237 Well, the article also says that the cattle industry is notorious for adverse effects on the environment. I think replacing the beef with something else... something vegeterian plus maybe something brought fresh from the farm like eggs or milk.. or even chocolate would prove him wrong. Anyway, the idea is attrocious and perverted in the first place and should not be heeded to. I wonder what the linked article said about the diesel train ride for one family cauing more pollution than the average car journey for the same. I reckon it's because of the poor maintainence, perhaps. Well, the article also says that the cattle industry is notorious for adverse effects on the environment. I think replacing the beef with something else… something vegeterian plus maybe something brought fresh from the farm like eggs or milk.. or even chocolate would prove him wrong.
Anyway, the idea is attrocious and perverted in the first place and should not be heeded to.
I wonder what the linked article said about the diesel train ride for one family cauing more pollution than the average car journey for the same. I reckon it's because of the poor maintainence, perhaps.

]]> By: mhairi http://walkit.com/2009/01/walking-is-bad-for-the-planet/comment-page-1/#comment-236 mhairi Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:46:47 +0000 http://www.walkit.com/blog/?p=79#comment-236 i've often wondered how the carbon footprint of replacing calories expended by walking or cycling, compares to that used by fossil fuel. i think the responses above, ie that one doesn't need to eat meat and that the sums don't take into consideration the full footprint of the car, sum it up. it does seem counter-intuitive that moving a 9-stone person has a bigger footprint than moving a two-tonne car plus a 9-stone person! but i understand actual research sometimes reveals counter-intuitive facts. until there is proof otherwise, i will continue to cycle and walk i've often wondered how the carbon footprint of replacing calories expended by walking or cycling, compares to that used by fossil fuel.

i think the responses above, ie that one doesn't need to eat meat and that the sums don't take into consideration the full footprint of the car, sum it up.

it does seem counter-intuitive that moving a 9-stone person has a bigger footprint than moving a two-tonne car plus a 9-stone person! but i understand actual research sometimes reveals counter-intuitive facts. until there is proof otherwise, i will continue to cycle and walk

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