Interesting TedTalk:
The Amazing Way Bicycles Change You - Anthony Desnick
I admit I'm only a recent "convert" to the cult of the cyclist... but the benefits espoused (in this and other videos) are tremendous:
1) reduction in accidental death
2) health improvements across the board
3) being happier, overall!
Our largest, hard-to-mitigate issue here in Moncton is climate, really... everything else could be dealth with via $ and policy... more paths (and paving them), better interconnections, etc.