Eco Tip Tuesday: Walk More! Or Bike/Skateboard/Scoot/Skip/Ride Public Transit More!

(I suppose "Drive Less" would have been a more efficient title.)

So I planned on taking this week off from Eco Tip Tuesday, but I did something today that I've never done before and it inspired me to write: I walked to the bank!

Now, we are not a family that drives excessively. Not because we're morally superior to those who do, but because we don't have to. I'm a stay-at-home mom who spends a good deal of time, well, staying at home. We have close friends and family within walking distance; my son's school is a few blocks down from our house; and my husband, who works 48-hour shifts, only has to drive to and from work once a week. Additionally, most places that we'd want to drive to (Target, the grocery store, the bank, the hardware store) require 15 minutes or less driving time. I only have to fill my tank about once every five or six weeks. So, to be honest, cutting back on my driving isn't something I often give much thought to. Until today.

I needed to go to the bank today, and planned on doing so with my daughter after taking my son to school. We typically walk to school, it being so close and all, but occasionally I will drive him there if I plan on running errands immediately afterward. The weather was so beautiful today, I figured it a crime against nature to drive a distance that takes less than five minutes to walk. And then I had a thought: instead of walking to school and then walking back home to get the car, why don't I just keep on walking straight to the bank?

So that's what I did! I put Nori in the jogging stroller, grabbed our (reusable) water bottles, and we were off! After waving goodbye to big bro, we kept on walkin'. Nori played contentedly with a few animal figures she brought along, occasionally stopping to take in the sights. The sun was shining, the breeze was blowing, the sweet smell of exhaust filled the air (okay, maybe that part wasn't so great). I did feel a bit apprehensive about pushing such precious cargo across the busy Watt Avenue/Folsom Blvd. intersection, and we did come to a point where some road/sidewalk work prevented us from going any further (that is, until a kindly construction worker escorted us past the heavy equipment), but other than that the walk was easy peasy! (Don't worry, Stephen, I did not wear headphones, obeyed all traffic laws, and turned my Mama Bear Protection Radar on high.) Really, all of these factors combined only served to make this my most adventurous trip to the bank yet!

The walk took about 50 minutes round-trip, and by the time we got home, Nori was asleep. Did some sit-ups, pushups, and stretching, and hot damn! Not only did I run my errand, but I knocked out a complete workout too!

I realize that not everyone has a schedule as flexible as mine. But I'm pretty sure that most of us could figure out ways to drive less. Maybe it's bringing a sack lunch to work or walking to a nearby restaurant instead of driving. Maybe it's taking public transportation to and from work. I realize that requires extra time in the morning, but who knows? You might enjoy it. (I've heard from reliable sources that it can be pretty nice escaping into a novel during the commute, rather than grumbling at the traffic.) Maybe you do it once or twice a week, and drive the other three. Or, maybe it's as simple as walking to the bank now and then.

Walking (or running or skipping or biking or skating or scooting...) is good for you. It's good for the body, and some may say it's good for the soul. One thing is certain: it's good for Mother Earth. Trust me, she doesn't mind being walked on. Just don't take her for granted.

Happy Friday, Everyone! Go for a walk this weekend!

If only the walk to the bank looked like this.

*Eco Tip Tuesday General Disclaimer: I am not perfect. Nor do I claim to have all the answers. I'm simply a human being who happens to think this planet we call home is pretty special, worthy of our love and protection. As such, I've made it a personal mission to reduce my negative impact and increase my positive impact on the world. Eco Tip Tuesday is a space for me to share what I've learned. And I am WAY open to feedback. So if you've got something to say, let's talk!