Take a Walk or Gallop or Trot
One of the things I miss about living in a "town" is being able to walk or bike to places I need to go. When I’m in town I find myself walking up to the school to pick up kids, walking down to eat, walking to a board meeting and walking to do errands. It actually takes less time to do most errands on foot than it does to drive around and find parking in Grand Marais, especially in the summer. Obviously there are times when I can’t walk, like if I’m running late or if I have to go to the lumberyard, but when I can I sure like to take advantage of it. Not only is it good for me but it’s also good for the environment and my savings account. If you live in an area you can walk places then give it a try, it makes good sense and cents!
Does beating the pavement make good horse sense?
The Bite
You bet your money on the bobtail nag, it does. Walking short distances instead of taking the car means big savings on gas, less air pollution, and shedding that spare tire, er, horseshoe.The Benefits
- Getting fit as a horse. Even at a slow pace, you’ll burn around 100 calories per mile, and consistent exercise from walking reduces the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
- Saving change for the races. Walking 1 mile each day instead of driving will save you about 15 cents on gas.
- Not horsing around with our air. Walking instead of driving 10 1-mile trips each week averts 500 pounds of CO2 emissions per year.
- Connecting with neigh-bors. It’s easier to interact with other people when you’re not stuck behind the wheel.
- If 10,000 Biters walk 5 miles a week instead of driving, in a year we’ll eliminate the CO2 created by 240 cars.
In the United States, 25% of trips are under a mile, but we make 75% of those trips by car.
Personally Speaking
When Jen moved from Atlanta (land of highways) to NYC and sold her car, she lost 7 pounds in a month from all the short trips she made on foot.Wanna Try?
Um, well, walk. Just remember to stay hydrated (with the help of your Biter bottle, natch).- Walk Score – ranks 2,508 U.S. neighborhoods for their walkability. See which neighborhoods it rated best for walking.