Organized youth sports and commuting behavior: The environmental impact of decentralized community sport facilities. (December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bunds, Kyle S.; Kanters, Michael A.; Venditti, Richard A.; Rajagopalan, Neethi; Casper, Jonathan M.; Carlton, Troy A.
• Is Part Of: Transportation research. Volume 65(2018)
• Page Start: 387
• Page End: 395
• Publication Date: 2018-12
• Subjects: Transportation -- Research -- Periodicals; Transportation -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; 354.76
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trd.2018.08.017
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1361-9209

Abstract

Highlights: Previous research has not quantified the extent of travel required for participation in organized sport. Participants spent an average of 106 min/week in car transport accounting for 28% of the participant's average driving time per week. The environmental impact of this youth sport program annually is about 400 tonnes of CO2eq. Assigning children to practice at the closest facility to their homes could reduce emissions from this travel by 12% whereas upgrading vehicle gas mileage efficiency could reduce emissions by 40%.