Key takeaways:

• Riding a bicycle is a concrete way for children to participate in climate action. Participation in an everyday activity that makes a difference is ‘constructive hope’.

• Children who live in low-traffic neighborhoods are more likely to engage in activities like walking and biking, leading to more social interaction, exposure to nature, and outdoor play; all of which create feelings of connection to the environment. Active transportation is a way for children to feel invested in protecting this connection.
• Children who live in high-traffic neighborhoods spend more time indoors, have fewer opportunities to make friends, and experience independent social connections. They are less likely to walk or bike due to traffic concerns. This contributes to negative feelings about their neighborhoods.
• A common objection to children biking is based on unsafe roads. Streets are built for cars. Traffic is intimidating and poses risk, leading to perceptions of unsafety. Yet injury rates do not reflect this perception as a reality.
• The many gains of children bicycling outweigh the risk of injury. Active transportation also aids in the development of self-esteem, independence, self-efficacy, and spatial navigation skills.