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Little Steps, Literally.

 

     In my last blog for April and my Earth Day All Month promise, I want to talk about little steps. Literally, little physical steps.  These are a two-for-one special in environment and health.  Little steps can help lead to lifestyle changes for your wellness and can have a global impact if we all just took more little steps.

 

     So what do I mean by little steps?  A few things actually.  1- Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis or the calories burned through any movement other than actual planned and consistent exercise.  Your steps on your watch are NEAT.  Walking to work is NEAT.  Walking your dog is NEAT.  We should all be more NEAT in our lives.  I often walk or ride my bike places that are just a short distance away.  When I arrive, I always get the same question: Where’s your car?  Then it follows like this:

Me: At home.

Person:  What’s wrong with it?

Me: Nothing.

Person: Then why didn’t you drive?

This is upsetting banter to me.  Why, in our country, do we not see walking or biking as viable transportation?  It is cheaper, better for our body, environmentally sound… but unfortunately we see it is “poor” transportation, or to much of a hassle.  God forbid someone sweat.  It can often even be a quicker way to get around!  When I lived in Charleston SC it was three miles to work- which driving could take up to 45 minutes, but biking was a consistent 15 minutes or so.  And it was much more pleasant than being stuck in traffic.  If you’ve ever ridden in a car with me you know I suffer from a clinical case of road rage.  Magically, I rarely yell at anyone around me when I’m walking or biking.  Changing your mind set about methods of transportation is better for your body, mind, environment, and total wellness.

 

      In the United States there are an estimated 229 MILLION licensed drivers.  According to NRC.gov about 30% of commuters go less than 5 miles.  That is 69million people.  Now, not all of those people are driving…but… even half- lets say 35 million people decide to walk or ride a bike. That is a huge impact.  Less emissions, less maintenance, less accidents, less road rage, less animal tragedy, more movement, more healthy body composition…you see where I am going here.  I understand also if it just isn’t safe: we never want to compromise safety.  This is a valid point though: millions of people, daily, getting in a little extra calorie burn, doing something better for their wellness, and increasing quality of life. 

 

     Why then do we refuse to accept walking, biking, long boarding, roller blading, etc as a viable mode of transportation?  Are we lazy?  Is it vanity?  Or is it just so far from thought that we don’t even entertain it?  We could all be doing something better for ourself and our word if we walked more.  Short trips to the store, to work, to our friends… Lets all be better people for our self, our world, and the world we are leaving for the future generations.