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Anyone who covers short distances on foot or by bicycle gains fitness and joie de vivre. And all while doing good for the environment.
Those like Sarah Meier or Beni Turnheer who are cycling more and more will especially enjoy the Sunday morning croissant.
Riding a bike puts pressure on muscles, is good for the heart and easy on the joints – and the environment. Walking or cycling is of course more time-consuming than a quick car ride. Yet those who choose a climate-friendly means of transport for short distances act consciously – for their well-being and the climate.
In Switzerland, but also worldwide, mobility options and the desire for more flexibility are on the rise. According to the Federal Statistical Office (2016), the Swiss population covered an average of 36.7 kilometres a day in 2010. Motorised vehicles were used for around 60% of the distances. Leisure activities, at 40%, are the most important transport purpose, followed by commuting at 24%. In addition, the number of motorised road vehicles (excluding mopeds) has doubled since 1980 and reached 5.8 million in 2014. Around three-quarters of these are passenger cars. For the Swiss population, it means the equivalient of every second inhabitant having a car. The trend for motorcycles is even more extreme: since 1980, the number of motorcycles in Switzerland has quintupled.
Due to technological developments CO2 emissions from passenger cars fell by 34% between 1996 and 2014. Yet the increase in the number of cars on the road means CO2 emissions were reduced by only 0.3% during the same period.
Worldwide, the transportation sector is responsible for a massive contribution to the greenhouse gas effect. And in Switzerland: at 30%, road transport is the biggest emitter of CO2.