There is a fantastic post over on Darren Stehr's Toronto Cranks site right now. It's basically about how promoting cycling as environmentally friendly is useless, because most people (sadly) don't give two craps about the air they breath or the water they drink unless it benefits them financially in some way.

I haven't picked up the new issue of Spacing Magazine yet, but there should be an article in there I wrote about the Metropass Affinity Program that says the same thing - that most people are motivated by sex and money, and that's it. If you want to change a behaviour, appeal to people's sex drive and their greed (especially if more money = more sex).

As Darren says:

American newscasts are pushing bicycles as an alternative to high gas costs and as a way to save money by not having to maintain a car. The good news is that these networks already know that environmental concerns will not get people to ride, their wallet will.

Tell all your friends about a two-car family in suburbia pisses away $180,000 on car-related expenses every 10 years.

Or, if you really want to shock them, extend that math over a typical "career and family lifespan" of 30 years - $540,000 !

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