So often when I first tell someone about this blog, people want to know the most important and/or easiest thing they can do to live “greener”. I smile and tell them it is so much easier than you think: walk, bike, or skate – don’t drive.
It not only makes sense but has a ring of poetic justice to it too: maybe the American dream is what is indeed killing America.
Suburbia. Suburban sprawl. The Suburban?
The Congress for the New Urbanism (who I love with all my green heart!) set up a contest earlier this year for a video that could convincingly promote “walkable, neighborhood-based development”. Let me tell you, the winner created a remarkably convincing presentation.
(“Built to Last” by First + Main and Paget Films.)
So, back to the question: what can you do about the environmental crisis right now?
Need some milk from the store? Take an evening stroll. Dry cleaners? Find one within a mile or two and take the bike. The less you drive, the more money you save, the more calories you burn. But most importantly, the less you fossil fuels consume and the less pollution you pump into your air.
What can you do about it in the long term?
When you are looking for that perfect apartment, let Walk Score help you score the perfect home. That’s right – you type in your potential new address and let it tell you how walkable your life will be. Local bars and restaurants? Library? Grocery store? The Walkability Score will then rank if your potential home is a “walkable” one, but also tell you how your address rates compared to others in the area.
It’s just that easy. As you go about your day, choose well. Take a walk, get some fresh air, and save the planet.
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Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
