It's March 1, and that means the idea that has been percolating in my mind all winter is officially going in to play. If Ghandi could march to the sea for salt, and Martin Luther King could march on Washington for civil rights, then there must be an action I could take that would encourage environmental improvements, I figured. An action that would nurture sustainability close to home, and serve as a symbol around the world. An action that would let me go to bed each night knowing I did my little part, and that perhaps, by my example, inspired someone else to do just a little more today as well.
And that action is a march as well. Actually, it's 31 days of March. And instead of a march to the sea or a march on Washington, it's a one-mile march, or rather, One-Mile March. For the month of March, I intend to not drive my car for any trips that are within my one-mile walkshed. Period. That means no running out to Kroger mid-morning. No car trips to the elementary school. No quick errand to the drug store or the healthfood store. May not sound like a big deal to you, especially if you live in a particularly strong walkshed, but to me this is going to be hard.
I checked my "walk score," which is a numeric rating of how walkable my neighborhood is. My address scored a 40 out of 100 (not even taking into account the hills). According to the website, walkscore.com, a score of 25 - 50 = Not Walkable: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public transportation is a must. A score of 78 is considered very walkable. FoodShed Planet readers from the United States, Canada and the U.K.--check out your neighborhood at the link above and get your walkscore, too!
Interestingly, Bill Gates' walk score is 9. The Space Needle in Washington is 66, as is The White House in Washington, D.C., although President Bush's Crawford Ranch is 0. The Brady Bunch house? Remember that one, with the cool staircase? A walk score of 77. And you get Greg's funky attic room, to boot.
According to the walk score website, walking is important because it leads to:
* Better health
* Reduction in greenhgouse gases
* More transportation options
* Increased social capital (which means you connect with more people locally)
* Stronger local businesses
But I'm not limiting myself to walking. Biking is my "fast option" for the month, and I already test-drove errand-running last weekend when I rode my bike to Kroger to pick up some things. First challenge--no bike rack. I simply rolled the bike through the store with me, filling up my canvas bags in my panniers and rolling through the 15-or-less checkout line (I definitely bought less than I would have had I driven). My favorite moment? When I rolled past a girl who was about ten years old (and sitting IN her mother's cart instead of walking), whom I heard whisper to her mother, "That is cool." Perhaps my simple little action planted a seed in her that will change the course of her life. (Or so I always like to think.)
My favorite part of walking? When my daughter and I walk to school, I have infinite patience for whatever it is she wants to tell me. I am not rushing to fold laundry or return a business phone call. In those forward-moving moments where conversation is welcome, I love a story that goes on and on and on. I find infinite joy in senseless songs that we sing over and over. I have the desire to skip and race. And my daughter has my undivided attention. All of this truly doesn't happen, especially not all at the same time, during any other part of the day.
And, so, off I go. My One-Mile March will require some changes in my habits. I'll have to leave home earlier whenever I go anywhere local. I'll have to dress for exercise and the weather. I'll have to prepare a bit more, and I have to be prepared for challenges I'm not yet anticipating.
I'm wishing that the first day of my One-Mile March didn't correspond with my blood donation day, however, but yes, the donation location is within 1-mile, so walk I will. Take it slow, Pattie. Just take it slow.
Join me?
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12 comments:
Have a great March Pattie!
Wish I had seen you and your bike in the store!
Any creative young person around there able to think up a name for "my unnamed garden bug"?. You will find its colorful image posted on Sat 23rd February on our blog.The bug was the size of a lady bird.
Oh, fun!
Unfortunately, my Walk Score is 17. When the snow is gone and the shoulder isn't full of salt and slush and such, I'll be able to bike with ease -- and I plan to do so for most of the summer. I'm working out a bike commuting plan for my office (22 miles away) using a bike and the bus in combination -- we'll see how it goes.
wow, what a fun website. My score is 23 - not so good. And, I live in a state that is known for how active we are...guess we all are driving to those destinations.
ps - Bill Gates house is on Lake Washington - it is huge, he should get enough exercise just by walking around his house.
I love this idea! My neighborhood is 49 - could be worse. I will really think about how I can implement this. Thank you so much for sharing this. And good luck with your blood donation today. I give every 8 weeks and have to take Geritol for a few days before my appointment to get my iron high enough. So if you don't make it today, you might try that.
Dude, I got a zero. Zilch. Guess that's what I have to suffer to live in the beautiful country! But, I can bike, and I don't have to walk very far to get most of my food... it's about 30 feet to the garden.
Our town (of 1,600) is slowly re-establishing itself and building some new places, so there will be a few more haunts to walk to soon. It's 1.7 miles to town, according to Google. I can walk that, and I can certainly bike that!
Great idea, Pattie.
Great idea! I may try to walk all my under-a-mile trips, too! I generally do when I have time, but sometimes it's easy to get out of the habit over the winter.
My walk score is 55, which surprises me as I consider my area extremely walkable -- there are sidewalks everywhere, and I can walk to the park, produce market, my daughter's school, the library, the post office, two bars, many restaurants, and many different merchants including the pharmacy, dry cleaners, shoe repair, liquor store, and barber.
I got a 5. And I think only because there are 2 convenience stores down the road (not like I'd ever buy anything there). I do walk to the library(3 miles) and the kid's school (2 miles). But otherwise there isn't anywhere to go, and there's absolutely nothing for a mile and a half in any event. The Farmer's Market used to be held right next to the Library but they moved it 8 miles away this year - doesn't sound like much on a bike until you factor in a 30 lb kid (dead weight) on the back and mountainous terrain - like literally the last 4 miles home would be all uphill. No wonder I get so frustrated when people are all don't take your car, walk your errands...apparently not here.
Like Melinda, mine would be 0 because I live on top of a steep hill, with no shops in cooey (do you know that word??). But most things I need to eat are in the garden. All other trips out I save up for a multi-trip outing.Much easier now we don't have the whole school thing.
I just bought a bike so in essence I will be joining you. I didn't check my neighborhood walk score but we have a grocery store/shopping complex a couple blocks away. My first day biking was last Thursday and it did require some extra effort. I wore my work clothes and I ended up feeling sweaty most of the day wishing I had shorts and t-shirt to change into for the ride home. i think I'm going to leave clothes at work now so I can wear whatever suits the weather best. I'm sure I'll learn more things the hard way but it's worth it.
N.
http://badhuman.wordpress.com
Hey, every little bit helps, folks. I love knowing I'm not alone out there on those hills with that bike! "This, we can do!"
I wish I could do this. The only thing within 1 mile of my house is more houses. Our closest shopping is 7 miles. Not a walkable community at all.
I just did my neighborhood, the walkability score was 5! I knew it was bad here, but man, that is bad!
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