Bicycle Survey-Ethan Bradley PDF

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Bicycle Survey: Benefits on Environment

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Bicycle Survey: Benefits on Environment Ethan Bradley (0679865) Trent University

Bicycle Survey: Benefits on Environment

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Through media, climate change has been an alarming topic recently, so what can we do about it? Citizen science is one of many ways we can tackle climate change. Citizen science is defined by Cornell University as, “research collaborations between scientists and volunteers … to provide access to scientific information for community members.” (Cornell Lab of Ornithology, n.d., p.1). The Peterborough City Bicycle and Pedestrian Survey is a solid example of citizen science. Throughout this paper, we will be looking at what the bicycle survey is, why is it significant and how it can be effective on climate change all in relation to citizen science.

Since 2012, The Peterborough City Bicycle and Pedestrian Survey has run yearly to gather data of the direction and number of people that use bicycles or walk at major intersections throughout Peterborough (Koprivnjak, n.d.). The purpose of the survey is to increase the amount of people walking or biking by using collected data to decide on programs and infrastructure. The data is collected by volunteers for an example, Trent University students. Each student was paired and assigned a location to collect data either in the morning or afternoon. As scene in Figure 1, the data sheets were completed every 15 minutes than totaled at the end. Each timeslot has categorize matching the description of the pedestrian (female, wearing a helmet etc.) to be tallied. So, what does this have to do with citizen science? Well, in relation to the definition in paragraph 1, Trentu student volunteers are collaborating with the organization to benefit Peterborough with programs and infrastructure development revolving around biking and walking (paths, bike lanes etc.).

Figure 1. Sample of the form used to collect data for the bike survey. (Sauve, 2018)

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For programs and infrastructure, we must have citizen science such as the bicycle survey. It is significant because the data can be analyzed and be compared to each location and be used for decision making. This information can be used, in a way, to determine if a location needs improvements. For an example, if a location is significantly less compared to others, the infrastructure could be manipulated to make it more accessible for pedestrians; this may result in the increase of total pedestrians in that area. Also, the data can be used to determine if new infrastructure improvements are working. For an example, if new bike lanes or paths are put into an area and the number of walkers and/or biker’s increases, it can show improvements are working.

The result of getting more people to walk and bike is remarkable on the environment. Commuting via bike just 10km can save 1500kg of greenhouse gas emission annually (“Cycling benefits”, 2018). Biking or walking to work can reduce noise pollution, the need for parking spaces and roadways, and most importantly, cut back on greenhouse gas emission (“Benefits of Cycling”, n.d.). Overall these benefits can reduce climate change by lowering greenhouse gases, one of the most influencers on climate change. This is how citizen science, such as the bike survey, can have an overall impact on the environment and climate change. With volunteers collecting data on bikers and pedestrians, the information can be brought to city officials to make industrial improvements. These improvements can influence and make it easier for more people to bike and walk; which then leads to a cut on greenhouse gas emissions. It is a chain of events in a cycle, respectively. With Peterborough and The Peterborough City Bicycle and Pedestrian

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Survey being this soul example, could you imagine if every city conducted various citizen sciences? In conclusion, citizen science such as The Peterborough City Bicycle and Pedestrian Survey can help with climate change. The bike survey is something so easy and simple that can produce positive outcomes. By collecting data, analyzing and using it to create industrial improvements and programs can come with massive benefits on the environment and climate change. More improvements make it more accessible for people to walk and bike around. With increase in walkers and bikers comes with a decrease in greenhouse gases emission. Overall, taking down climate change.

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References

Benefits of Cycling. (n.d.). Retrieved October 17, 2019, from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search? q=cache:http://www.walkandrollpeel.ca/cycling/benefits.htm.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (n.d.). Defining Citizen Science. Retrieved October 17, 2019, from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/citscitoolkit/about/definition.

Cycling benefits. (2018, June 26). Retrieved October 17, 2019, from https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Travel-and-transport/Cycling/Benefits.aspx.

Koprivnjak, J. F. (n.d.). Assignment 1: Citizen Science and Education (pdf format). Retrieved October 17, 2019, from https://trentu.blackboard.com/webapps/blackboard/execute/content/file? cmd=view&content_id=_587357_1&course_id=_21669_1.

Sauve, S. (2018, July 8). Bicycle-Pedestrian Count Form Filled Out (as an example. Retrieved October 17, 2019, from https://trentu.blackboard.com/webapps/blackboard/execute/content/file? cmd=view&content_id=_591175_1&course_id=_21669_1....