Archive for the ‘Cars and Health’ Category

Cycling, walking though New York City easier thanks to Transportation Alternatives

June 15th, 2009 by Buddy Evans
Buddy Evans

Times Square traffic ban is the result of behind-the-scenes advocacy

By Buddy Evans, President of Big Bucks Auto™

Contestants of the 5th Annual Commuter Race
Contestants of the 5th Annual Commuter Race

You might notice while walking through New York City, the buzz has centered around Times Square traffic – or, more accurately, the lack of vehicle traffic.

NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s decision to temporarily cease car traffic on a few selected blocks of Broadway in Times Square is certainly a win for pedestrians and fans of city cycling. I talk in detail about the social implications of such a move in a recent article on BigBucksAuto.com, “What Do Times Square Street Closures in New York City Mean for American Car Culture?”

Pedestrian, bicycle advocacy group a major player

At Big Bucks Auto – long a proponent of addressing traffic concerns and investigation transportation alternatives – we have decided to step into the fray by providing support and drawing attention to a group that has been championing pedestrian and bicycle advocacy for decades.

Since 1973, Transportation Alternatives has been working tirelessly to “reclaim New York City’s streets from the automobile and to advocate for bicycling, walking and public transit as the best transportation alternatives.”

Bicycle Advocacy and more

While this new rash of publicity over the Times Square traffic ban has raised awareness of the ubiquitous motor vehicle in New York City, Transportation Alternatives has been advocating relatively behind-the-scenes to change our approach to getting from point A to B:

“T.A. seeks to change New York City’s transportation priorities to encourage and increase non-polluting, quiet, city-friendly travel and decrease–not ban–private car use. We seek a rational transportation system based on a ‘Green Transportation Hierarchy,’ which gives preference to modes of travel based on their benefits and costs to society. To achieve our goals, T.A. works in five areas: Bicycling, Walking and Traffic Calming, Car-Free Parks, Safe Streets and Sensible Transportation.”

City cycling vs. Times Square traffic

The folks at Transportation Alternatives have become the authoritative source for information on modes of transportation other than single-occupancy vehicles and the leading advocates for changes in public policy.

For a more anecdotal example of how Transportation Alternatives spreads the word, consider the group’s fifth annual commuter race, held in late May. Three contestants commuted from Sunnyside, Queens to Columbus Circle – a 4.2 mile Queens-to-midtown scramble.

With three contestants each using a different mode of transportation, Rachel Myers made the rush-hour trek in a shade over 20 minutes. Dan Hendrick showed up about 15 minutes later and Willie Thompson almost 15 minutes after that.
It might surprise you to find that Myers was on a bicycle, Hendrick on the subway and last-place Thompson was in a cab (and $30 poorer).

Help Transportation Alternatives promote cycling, mass transit, walking through the city

So, with a simple event, Transportation Alternatives provided irrefutable evidence that the most environmentally-friendly, most healthy mode of travel was also the fastest.

It is because of this work and the mission of Transportation Alternatives that Big Bucks Auto supports their advocacy efforts.
The folks at Transportation Alternatives say it best: “Every day, policy makers and journalists turn to T.A. as the authority on cyclists and pedestrian safety. Why? Because we’re making a difference by changing the face of New York’s streets and improving the lives of cyclists, walkers and transit users.”

Buddy Evans is the Vice President of Big Bucks Auto™, one of the largest and most reputable used car buyers in the Tri State Area. Buddy has authored several automotive articles and Big Bucks Auto™ eNewsletters about various topics related to the automotive industry. Visit Buddy and his team at Big Bucks Auto™ to sell your used car or get a free car appraisal. Call us today at 1-888-44-BUCKS or 1-888-442-8257.

Learn more about why you should choose Big Bucks Auto to buy your car and call us today at 1-888-44-BUCKS or 1-888-442-8257.

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How Can Technology Protect the Environment? It Doesn’t, Really

April 15th, 2009 by Buddy Evans
Buddy Evans

No matter how “green”, some industries like the automobile industry, still promote technology that does more harm than good and little to protect the environment

Regardless of green technologies, automobils still pollute the environment
Polluting the enviroment
Photo credits: globalwarming1108

The answer to how we can use technology to protect the environment is hard to find when you’re looking in the wrong place. Of the countless tech-laden ways to curb the degree to which we are littering the environment with things like car exhaust, one solution might be closer and greener than you think. And it’s about as low-tech as it gets.

Instead of thinking about technology advancements to protect the environment like hybrid green cars, we might want to think about using less technology!

Those things at the end of your legs? They might just one of the most efficient, cheapest ways to sustainable living. Along with the obvious – walking – your feet can push on a pair of pedals and get you around town on your bicycle with greater ease and benefit than fighting traffic.

The citizenry of Planet Earth is now being forced to look at our home as a two-way exchange – we give to and take from Mother Nature – rather than treating our natural resources as a never-ending supply to power our progress.
And technology, while it may help to reduce how much we take from nature, will never be as successful as shedding some of our most detrimental human habits.

So, as the planet celebrates another Earth Day, let’s touch on some facts and information that changes the focus from “how technology can help save the environment” to “how we can use what we have to get where we should be?”

Benefits of Riding a Bike and the Looming Average Cost of a Car

Low-tech; Commuting by bicycle helps the environment
Commuting by bicycle
Photo credits: bicyclesonly

The days of ignoring the many benefits of riding a bicycle are over. With the extremely high average annual cost of owning a car and to help protect the environment,, it makes sense not only to commute by bike if you can, but to consider replacing your car with a bicycle all together. Just remember to make sure you protect your investment and prevent bicycle theft when you can while you are protecting the environment, too.

Best Cities in the US for Living without a Car

We’ll give you a hint, one of top cities for carless living starts with a “new” and ends with a “york.” Living in a large metropolitan area like New York will make it much easier to maintain a mobile lifestyle without a car.  Access to mass transportation is a key feature in making this possible. According to WalkScore, a group that promotes walkable neighborhoods, while 83% percent of Americans live in metropolitan areas, only 5 percent live within walking distance of decent public transit. Committing to living without a car is definitely one way to go about using new technology in public transportation to stop littering the environment. Options regarding commuter railroads, public bus routes, subways, and streetcars or trolleys can make or break an individual’s decision to live car free and help protect the environment.

America’s Most Walkable Cities

There are a surprising number of cities in the U.S. considered to be quite walkable. We might all think of New York, Boston and Washington off the top of our heads. But did you know that large parts of Denver are walkable?  WalkScore has a website completely dedicated to finding and promoting “Walkable Places to Live”. They rank 2,508 neighborhoods in the largest 40 U.S. cities to help you find a walkable place to live. On top of that, they have a list of 138 “Walker’s Paradises.” Twenty-two cities have at least one and therefore fall under our list of America’s Most Walkable Cities. New York leads the pack with 38, including Tribeca, Little Italy, Soho, Chinatown, Midtown and Murray Hill.

Is Your Car Killing You?? Air Pollution & Heath Risks

Between the effects of global warming, particle pollutants and lack of health benefits in driving -Yes, your car is killing you! Just a glance at a how cars impact our world could turn the most the stubborn skeptic.  One U.S. car consumes about 600 gallons of gas each year and emits over 12,000 pounds of carbon dioxide into the environment.  How about this one – American automobile emissions account for more than 45 percent of the world’s automotive carbon dioxide emissions each year, even though the U.S. has only 5% of the world’s population perfectly exhibiting a case where technology in one country is NOT protecting the environment in the world. Bottom line: Save a life; sell your car!

So, as industries world-wide struggle with the notion of going green to proterct the environment and countless new technologies are consumed by the environment vs. economic growth argument, our over-reliance on automobiles is a continuing threat to the health of the planet and to ourselves.

And maybe as more and more people consider the question of “how does technology protect the environment?”, they will find that perhaps their feet might offer the best guidance. Putting an end to littering the environment with our various pollutants might naturally follow.

Get a free quote to sell your car today, from my team at Big Bucks Auto™.  We are a reputable used car buyer; the largest used car buying service in the New York Metro / Tri-State area.

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Is Your Car Killing You?? Air Pollution & Heath Risks

March 2nd, 2009 by Buddy Evans
Buddy Evans

Living without a car can seem like a total dysfunction or a step down in statist, but the truth is that life without a car is one small mental inconvenience for you, one giant step for mankind!

Between the effects of global warming, particle pollutants and lack of health benefits in driving;

Yes, your car is killing you!

Your car is killing you - sell your car!
Photo credits: gavinhudson

Let’s take a look at the some simple facts about global warming:

  • In the U.S. there are 232 million registered vehicles which amount to almost one per person including non drivers.
  • One US car per year consumes about 600 gallons of gas each year and emits over 12,000 pounds of carbon dioxide.
  • Automobile emissions account for more than 45 percent of the world’s automotive carbon dioxide emissions each year even though the US has only 5% of the world’s population

The average commute to work is 11.6 miles according to the US Department of Transportation.

That daily commute would produce 0.08932 pounds of Hydrocarbons, 0.638 pounds of Carbon Monoxide, 0.0406 pounds of Nitrogen Oxides, and 11.6 pounds of Carbon Dioxide per day. While that doesn’t seem too bad, if we factor in the 260 days one travels to the job every day then we have the staggering numbers of23.2232 pounds of Hydrocarbons, 165.88 pounds of Carbon Monoxide, 10.556 pounds of Nitrogen Oxides, and 3016 pounds of Carbon Dioxide!

Now just multiple that for everyone that works in our office or lives on your street or passes on your way to work. Now think about all the other times you get into your car when you are not going to work!

Aside from the most general apocalyptical scenarios attributed to global warming and the eventually extinction of mankind, we can still keep this simple and look at basic facts regarding the effects of global warming and health.

Life without a car kills smog: Global warming and the effects of increased organic compounds increase the production of smog.

Smog forms when sunlight, heat and relatively stagnant air meet up with nitrogen oxides and various volatile organic compounds. In addition to your car adding to the nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere, the actual warming of the basic earth temperatures will cause more smog as well. More hot days mean better conditions for creating smog that can trigger asthma and other breathing problems.

According to Dr. John Balmes of the American Lung Association, higher smog levels “may cause or exacerbate serious health problems, including damage to lung tissue, reduced lung function, asthma, emphysema, bronchitis and increased hospitalizations for people with cardiac and respiratory illnesses.”

Exposure to smog can do serious damage to our lungs and respiratory systems. Inflammation and irritation can cause shortness of breath, throat irritatioan, chest pains and coughing and lead to asthma attacks, hospital admissions and emergency room visits. These consequences are more severe if people are exposed while being active.

“The number of people with asthma in this country has more than doubled over the past 25 years, led by soaring rates in children” says Dr. John Balbus, head of Environmental Defense’s health program. “With climate change worsening smog in some areas and altering pollen levels, future air quality may pose a greater threat to our health, especially those of us with asthma and other lung diseases.”

Cure cancer: the soot and fumes from cars, trucks and buses are linked to asthma, lung and heart disease and cancer
directly

Scientists have long known that air pollution from trucks and cars is bad for your health. What’s new is that over the last decade, scientists have looked more closely at street-level exposure and found a high-risk zone of about 500 to 1500 feet. The latest science also points to more severe health risks in localized “hot spots” than air pollution measurements would suggest.

Combustion sources burn fuels and emit gases. These gases can vaporize and then condense to become a particle of the same chemical compound. Or, they can react with other gases or particles in the atmosphere to form a particle of a different chemical compound. Particles formed by this latter process come from the reaction of elemental carbon (soot), heavy metals, sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds with water and other compounds in the atmosphere. Studies validate earlier research showing a strong relationship between particle pollution and illness, hospitalization and premature death.

According to the findings from some of the latest studies, short-term increases in automotive induced particle pollution have been linked to:

  • death from respiratory and cardiovascular causes, including strokes.
  • increased mortality in infants and young children
  • increased numbers of heart attacks, especially among the elderly and in people with heart conditions
  • inflammation of lung tissue in young, healthy adults
  • increased hospitalization for cardiovascular disease, including strokes and congestive heart failure
  • increased emergency room visits for patients suffering from acute respiratory ailments
  • increased hospitalization for asthma among children
  • increased severity of asthma attacks in children
  • Chronic exposure to particle pollution can shorten life by one to three years.
  • Other impacts range from premature births to serious respiratory disorders, even when the particle levels are very low.

Even if you decide that you don’t believe in global warming and you don’t care about children and asthma, other studies have shown that really, walking is the best form of exercise anyway! Join the growing number of walkers in America,
get inspired by reading America’s Most Walkable Cities – Best Cities in the US to Live & Walk
In. Not to mention, that the average cost of owning a car in the US is almost 20 thousand dollars, so imagine how much one has to stress and work just to pay for their car!

Life without a car is not impossible. You might think that your car is necessary to your life, but really the truth is that your car is not just killing you, your car is killing us all.

Bottom line: Save a life; Sell your
car!

Read our How to Get Fast Cash for Cars article for some useful tips.

Learn more about why choose us to buy your car and call us today at 1-888-44-BUCKS or 1-888-44-8257

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America’s Most Walkable Cities

March 2nd, 2009 by Buddy Evans
Buddy Evans

Best Cities in the US to Live and Walk in

Even in a most walkable city, walking is vastly underrated and underappreciated

One of America's most walkable cities - NYC

Walking is something that we do every day, but certainly don’t do enough.  For too many American’s the longest walk completed everyday might be from the parking lot where we park our cars to the office, school or mall doors.

The average person takes 2,000 steps per mile. Studies have shown that, on an average, a person walking at 3 mph burns about 4 calories per minute. Often called the “nearest activity to perfect exercise” and aside from the simple calorie burning, there are numerous long term health benefits:

  • Walking reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
  • Walking can help lower blood pressure
  • Walking reduces high cholesterol and improve blood lipid profile
  • Walking reduces body fat
  • Walking increases bone density, hence helping to prevent osteoporosis
  • Walking reduces the risk of cancer of the colon
  • Walking reduces the risk of non insulin dependent diabetes
  • Walking helps osteoarthritis
  • Walking helps flexibility and co-ordination hence reducing the risk of falls

Over 75% of American’s live in a walkable city where a commitment to walking is not impossible and in fact, walking is easier than driving.

Although 41% of all trips made in the United States are two miles or less, fewer than 10% of all trips are made by walking and biking. In many cases, walking would actually save time when one considers traffic and parking. Only around 15% of all children today walk or bike to school, a significant decrease compared with 50% of children in 1969. This has created 20-30% increase morning traffic congestion in urban areas due to parents driving children to school meanwhile; we have a national issue with childhood obesity! These facts alone have begun a national movement towards promoting children walking to school and supporting community development and legislation towards maintaining “Safe Routes to School”.

There are a surprising number of cities in the US which are considered quite walkable

Sure, we would all think of New York, Boston and Washington off the top of our heads. But did you know that large parts of Denver are walkable?  WalkScore, a project launched in July of 2007, has a website completed dedicated to finding and promoting “Walkable Places to Live”. Walk Score ranks 2,508 neighborhoods in the largest 40 U.S. cities to help you find a walkable place to live. On top of that, they have a list o 138 “Walker’s Paradises” Twenty-two cities have at least one Walkers’ Paradise. New York leads the pack with 38 Walkers’ Paradises including Tribeca, Little Italy, Soho, Chinatown, Midtown and Murray Hill.

America’s most walkable cities overall are:

  • San Francisco, CA
  • New York, NY
  • Boston, MA
  • Chicago, IL
  • Philadelphia, PA
  • Seattle, WA
  • Washington D.C.
  • Long Beach, CA
  • Los Angeles, CA
  • Portland, OR
  • Denver, CO
  • Baltimore, MD
  • Milwaukee, WI
  • Cleveland, OH
  • Louisville, KY
  • San Diego, CA
  • San Jose, CA
  • Las Vegas, NV
  • Fresno, CA
  • Sacramento, CA

Basically, if one does their homework correctly, you can live and work in a neighborhood where walking would be the finest form of transportation. Over 55% of Americans are choosing their homes and considering a combination of single family homes, larger urban buildings and walking distances as prime reasons for a home purchase. Many real estate professionals are emphasizing walkable neighborhoods and listing a community’s WalkScore as part of their listing procedures with great results. Even Google has a walking directions map search in Beta at http://maps.google.com/maps. Just find your location and under options, select “walking”.

Bottom line, America has many walkable cities and the benefits and appeal of walking are so numerous, that anyone who does not take advantage of this healthy, money saving, ecological, and positive way to get around is just foolish or lazy. At Big Bucks Auto, we want to help America be healthy and efficient.   When you are ready, especially all you New Yorkers come to Big Bucks Auto and sell us your used car.

And as you walk away, you’ll be happy you did.

Thinking about selling your car and joining America’s growing number of walkers? Read our Best Cities in the US for Living without a Car article for some useful tips.

Walking, in a country of in a city, has been shown to improve self esteem, relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improve mood

Walking, particularly in pleasant surroundings, and with other people, offers many opportunities for relaxation and social contact. It really does allow you to stop, get out of the rat race and smell the roses should you pass some by. Plus, walking allows you to really interact with your community; you get to look other folks in the eyes, stop and say hello. It’s a natural stress reducer.

Overall, people who walk live longer and have healthier lives

For general health, experts recommend accumulating a total of 30 minutes of brisk walking on most, preferably all days of the week. 10,000 steps per day is a great goal for someone trying to increase their physical activity level.  Granted one way of walking more would be to dedicate walking into a normal fitness routine or work the treadmill at the gym, but we can simplify that: stop driving your car.

For more information, please check out these helpful links:

WalkScore; http://www.walkscore.com/
Googel Walking in Beta;  http://maps.google.com/maps
Walk to School; http://www.walktoschool.org
America Walks; http://www.americawalks.org
Safe Routes to School; http://www.saferoutesinfo.org/

Learn more about why choose us to buy your car and call us today at 1-888-44-BUCKS or 1-888-44-8257

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