We’ve previously talked about active rest and their benefits, in addition to some activities to practice it. Now, we will talk about active mobility, one of the most benefit one’s for you, yours and planet. The best of all, is easy to perform and you just need…yourself. Join us in this tour and find everything around this practice. We can be sure that you already practice it, and you don’t even know. Let’s go!
What does active mobility is?
Active mobility is the ability to move using our body, it doesn’t matter how. You can walk, or use other sustainable means of transport, but always when this require a human body as a motor (or, electric energy, in that case), the best and clearer example is the bike.
However, this kind of mobility prioritize the non-motorized displacement. It also includes public transport (collective and massive ones) and individual private transport. However, the use of these last, must generate the less possible damage to environment. For that, is considered from electric cars to shared transport.
What is the benefit of active mobility?
It doesn’t matter is a little or so much free time after work, the truth is that human being performs a little physical activity for their own benefit. According to the WHO, the 60% of world population don’t do enough exercise that bring benefits to their health.
Sedentism is mostly related to work, above all, activities where most of time you are seat. Likewise, in the called, leisure time, many occupy it to do some pending matters or distract ourself, in a few times to do a sport activity.
Little efforts, great benefits
We will never deny that, with the busy and tire life we have, is normal that our free time, is used to rest or do any other thing that causes us pleasure. But also, is true that many times, we could make more exercise if we propose that so.
It doesn’t have to be extreme, expensive or complicated sports. Just walking, or cycling will bring us a lot of benefits.
For example, according to the World Heart Federation, walking one hour per day reduce the risk of have a cardiovascular disease in more then 90%. Now, isn’t about walk 60 minutes without stop; you can distribute the time over more than 12 hours that we are awake.
Likewise, if we cover 18 minutes daily in bike, during one year, we will reduce to a 28% the probabilities of die due causes associated to physical inactivity. If you work but don’t have a bike, you can use EcoBici programs to move in a bike to your work, or less, during a section of your road.
As you see, practicing active mobility is so easy as going by foot or bike during some minutes. Great benefits for health with a few time invested.
Benefits for body and environment
Active mobility has the advantage of provide benefits to us and to our planet.
According to the human body, strengthens the cardiovascular system, increase breathing ability, reinforce immune system and accelerates metabolism.
Now, cycling or just move by foot to a nearby place, contributes to improve air quality and reduce noise levels in our territory.
Likewise, motorized public transport issues 16gr. Of CO2 emissions per person, the private car, 229 gr, while bike or walking 0 gr. For these reasons, active mobility leave no foot print in ozone layer.
Besides, we are helping to public space, while a car uses 9 m² of road space, walking requires 1m², and bike 2 m².
As you can observe, active mobility is one of the best practices we can perform. Is inclusive, economic and benefit to everyone.
