Car culture wants us to believe that somehow walking and biking isn’t quite grown up — real adults drive cars. Many folks spend thousands of times more money on their cars than on good shoes or decent winter wear. It’s foolishness.

I sold my car several years ago and am much happier and freer without it. We walk or bike as much as we can, and love it!

It’s time to reclaim walking — and to create lifestyles and communities where walking is healthy, pleasant and safe. See http://planetfriendly.net/walking.html for some links, resources and organizations.

I hope you do make it a weekly habit!

– Peter Blanchard

–
Green Ottawa
gateway to a green, sustainable Ottawa
http://www.GreenOttawa.ca

I’m continually amazed at how daunting people find even short walks of three or four blocks. The art of using one’s feet for transportation seems to be growing ever more rare. People have expressed shock when finding out I walked from Old Ottawa South to, say, Downtown.

Perhaps I’m biased (my last name is Walker, after all!) but it seems like a perfectly viable form of transportation to me (if slower than cycling). A month-long hiking trip on the Appalachian trail demonstrated to me the amazing power of humble feet to cover fairly large distances.

Leaving the car at home has the double dividend of being both environmental and healthy- triple dividend of beauty/relaxation if you’re lucky enough to live by the canal or some other scenic route. It is also a great way to build community, through chance encounters on your way home.