Transportation choices influence both human health and environmental health. The way you travel affects how much physical activity you get, the quality of the air you breathe, and the environmental conditions in the communities where you live.
Different transportation modes influence how much physical activity you get in your daily routine. Active transportation options such as walking and bicycling incorporate movement into everyday trips, which can help people stay physically active without needing to schedule separate exercise time.
Regular physical activity is associated with improved cardiovascular health, reduced risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, and improved mental well-being. Even relatively short trips taken on foot or by bicycle can contribute to these benefits when they occur regularly.
In contrast, transportation systems that rely heavily on cars often involve long periods of sitting. Long sedentary periods during driving and commuting can contribute to lower levels of daily physical activity.
Transportation also plays a major role in air quality. Gasoline and diesel vehicles emit pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and fine particulate matter. These pollutants contribute to smog and negatively affect human health.
Fine particulate matter, often referred to as PM2.5, is especially concerning because the particles are small enough to enter the lungs and bloodstream. Exposure to these pollutants has been linked to respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular disease, neurological damages, and cancer.
Air pollution from transportation can have a greater impact on people who live near busy roads or highways, where vehicle emissions are more concentrated.
Transportation systems also affect environmental health more broadly. Vehicles powered by fossil fuels emit greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, which contribute to climate change.
Beyond emissions, transportation infrastructure requires large amounts of land and materials. Roads, highways, parking lots, and fuel distribution networks reshape landscapes and can contribute to habitat loss, increased stormwater runoff, and urban heat island effects.
The environmental health impacts of transportation are closely connected to how communities are designed and how people travel within them. Communities that support a variety of transportation options often have opportunities to reduce both environmental impacts and health risks associated with transportation.