Originally Posted by
I-Like-To-Bike
Promoting bicycling as an activity that will "help save the planet" or as a "good thing for everyone" might serve some pleasant function for advocates who already believe that, but is unlikely to "learn" the general public anything that will get them to increase their use of a bicycle. More than likely such a holy roller campaign (even if true) will raise the general public's hackles as self righteous self promotion by hobbyists and be ignored.
IMO, bicycling should be promoted as the good thing it can be for the individual as a fun and/or practical recreational activity that can also be useful (and fun) for getting around town and is can be more convenient and/or economical than driving a motor vehicle or taking public transportation when the conditions are suitable.
OTOH, touting the environmental benefits of reduced air pollution may help sell bicycling infrastructure to officials looking to demonstrate that they are doing "something" about a real problem whether it is effective or not.
Not just as a reduced air pollution benefit, but for personal exercise, which is often touted, and reduced traffic crowding which requires the need for more infrastructure, and of course for the positive reasons you mentioned, as well as the economic benefits of increased tourism in an area that is conducive to cycling. There are a plethora of reasons to encourage cycling... saving the planet is just a tiny aspect of it.
But the fact is that cycling is rarely encouraged... it is often an afterthought, not a forethought. And until it becomes a forethought, then, the answer to the OP question is "THEY" will never learn.