Pascal Debowiak
Mrs. Morse
Comparing/Contrast Essay
02/03/16
The Environmental benefits of bicycling There are numerous reasons to own a car. Every day people drive a car to get to work, visit friends, buy groceries and complete many other chores. We are, like it or not, dependent on automobiles. However, bicycles are often a useful alternative and are more environmentally friendly.
A car is but also costly and often difficult to pay for. To begin with, buying a two-year old car is smarter than purchasing a new one. After a new car depreciates a couple years, it can be purchased for thousands of dollars less. But whether buying new or used, the car’s cost is only part of the expense. Paying for insurance, maintenance, gas, and repairs adds significantly to the expense. Being able to repair a car yourself helps keep costs down, but there still is an expense.
Costs of purchase, maintenance and repair aside, automobiles have an adverse effect on the environment that bicycles do not. Even before a car is driven it consumes energy. Automotive production leaves a giant footprint because materials such as steel, rubber, paints, plastics, and glass must be created before a new ride is ready to roll. But that’s not all; air quality suffers because vehicles are America’s biggest air quality compromisers, producing about one-third of all U.S air pollution. The also contribute to global warming. These findings have caused engineers to develop more eco-friendly cars for the future. Future cars may be powered by the sun or other natural sources.
While a car might be necessary in some instances, a bicycle is an underrated means of transportation. The costs to buy a bicycle are not particularly high. A good bicycle costs around $200 to $400s and should last at least five years. Bicycles do not have high maintenance costs, which is convenient. Further, a flat tire on a bicycle is easily repaired by the bike owner. That eliminates an expense. Environmentally speaking, a bicycle is much more earth friendly than a car. A bicycle has a much smaller environmental footprint than a car. The biggest gain for the environment is that the bicycle has no oil-using engine: the rider is the engine. Riding a bicycle is environmentally friendly and provides great physical exercise. In addition, riders can tour with friends through nature and see really pretty places where they picnic and become one with nature. Bicycles can also be ridden to work. If work is fewer than 10 miles away, it is easy a to ride a bike. However, if the distance exceeds 10 miles it is not a good idea to use a bike unless you have enough time and are not in a rush. Further, riding in the rain can be troublesome.
If I compare a bicycle and a car based on the costs, I would go definitely with a bicycle, which is way cheaper to operate and maintain. I also would take a bike rather than a car because the bike is much better for the environment. A bicycle also provides sport and exercise. A car is more convenient because you can drive almost everywhere in a shorter time than it takes to bicycle. Some routes are almost impossible to cover by bike. The weather is also a factor to consider.
If I consider only costs and environment I would definitely choose the bike over a car, but in point of utilization I would choose the car. All in all, I recommend owning a car and a bike. As I said a car is necessary in our society, but I also would recommend a bike for short rides to family and friends. Also, a bicycle offers a hobby and a way to discover the nature and having a great time outside, especially, during the spring, summer and fall. So try to use a bike so much as possible and to stay healthy and keep the environment healthy.