National Walk to Work Day, April 1: Lace up your walking shoes

Chicagoland residents are encouraged to put the pavement beneath their feet on April 1, Walk to Work Day.

 

(From the Active Transportation Alliance) 

 

Walking to work is probably easier than you think.  To fulfill a daily walking regimen, many people take transit or drive for part of the distance and walk for the rest.

“Walking to work is good not just for your health, but it’s good for the environment, too,” said Melody Geraci, deputy executive director of the Active Transportation Alliance (Active Trans). “It takes cars off the road and allows you to get to know the neighborhood. You’ll see things that otherwise would escape your notice.”

Walk to Work Day falls on the first Friday of April.

The beauty of walking is that it requires almost no special equipment. A comfortable pair of shoes, good socks and a willingness to get your body moving is all that is needed.

If there are no good walking options where you live and work, Geraci said you can help make needed improvements. “Communities can become more walkable when they build infrastructure like sidewalks and crosswalks,” she said. “Slowing traffic and focusing on pedestrian safety encourages more people to walk for transportation and exercise.”

Here are a few tips that can help with your bipedal commute:

• What equipment do I need? Very little: Wear comfortable shoes, loose pants and be ready to shed layers once you get warm.
• How can I walk to work when the distance is so great?  Take transit or drive for part of the way and then walk the rest of the way.
• How can I get motivated? Get a group of co-workers together and meet up on the way as a walking group. 

If you walked on Walk to Work Day, connect with Active Trans via Facebook ( www.facebook.com/activetrans) and let us know how it went.

The Active Transportation Alliance is a non-profit, member-based advocacy organization that works to make bicycling, walking and public transit so safe, convenient and fun that we will achieve a significant shift from environmentally harmful, sedentary travel to clean, active travel. The organization builds a movement around active transportation, encourages physical activity, increases safety and builds a world-class transportation network. Formerly the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, the Active Transportation Alliance is North America’s largest transportation advocacy organization, supported by more than 6,000 members, 1,000 volunteers and 35 full-time staff. For more information on the Active Transportation Alliance, visit www.activetrans.org or call 312.427.3325.