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DCL
Alright, before you scoff at this seemingly over-simple notion, ask yourself when the last time you took a walk for the sake of taking a walk was. I know it's been awhile for me. But the fact is, it's too often that the go-to 'relaxing' leisure activity is flipping on the TV or idly perusing the internet. If I'm starting to sound like a caricature of a concerned mother, so be it—it's time to take a walk.
And I need not run down how going for a walk is greener than watching TV, I don't think. The modern era is so cluttered with media-flickering computers, blaring radios, noisy televisions (each of which, I might add, suck up electricity) that I often find it difficult to even hear myself think. And I don't think I'm alone.
Which is why you should consider this post a gentle, if obvious, reminder that we all have sidewalks outside, neighbors to bump into, and underused parks right around the corner. Even if we don't live in one of the top 10 most walkable cities in the country. And walking has been proven to help keep us healthier—and saner.
A CNN article encourages walks on the grounds that they reduce breast cancer risk, they're good for the heart, they can help you sleep better, and they can strengthen your bones. A Cleveland doctor blogs about how walking 10,000 steps a day can do wonders for your health. Even the US Department of Transportation extols the virtues of walking.
So, obvious though it may seem-there's a reason all these articles get written, remember—a short walk can go a long way.
Need proof that it's possible to balance being green and still be a supportive partner and parent? See how Ed Begley, Jr. does it on Planet Green TV's Living with Ed.
