You should walk to school today to celebrate International Walk to School Day, in fact, you should consider walking to school once per week. It’s a small first step toward removing our reliance on autos/foreign oil and also getting exercise to being a part of your lifestyle.
In 1969, 88 percent of students who lived within a mile of their grade schools got there by bike or on foot. Today, less than 16 percent do. Heck, I remember walking to Woodstock Elementary School myself when I was in the 1st Grade. So if you’ve got a kid in school, why not take one small step this month toward turning things around. Wednesday, October 6 is Walk to School Day so grab your kid, recruit a neighbor, leave the car in the garage, and hit the pavement. But go one step further and commit to doing it once a month or once a week. It’s a smarter way to live.
The Walk to School website has some great resources to review while you consider taking this first step (pun intended). For example, the Crossing Rules for Pedestrians should be read and understood by all parents and student walkers.
Part of the Safe Routes to School movement includes parents and local government working together to ensure smart planning for school accessibility. Many Safe Routes to School enhancements can cost very little money. For example, most Walk to School Day coordinators say they spend less than $100 on planning and conducting their events. Many resources such as curricula are already available for student education, and there are many low-cost engineering solutions that can often be put in place in a relatively short amount of time such as new signs or freshly marked crosswalks.
photo by D Sharon Pruitt
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