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LEARN HOW TO MAKE OUR TYPE LARGER

Walkable communities encourage active, healthier lifestyles
Published March 2000

(NAPS) - Walking can be a step in the right direction to include more activity in your daily life, but many people may wonder where to take that first step. The Surgeon General recom- mends 30 minutes of exercise on all or most days of the week, yet a variety of reasons keep people from following this advice. Excuses aside, recent research shows that many people don’t have safe places to walk, run or bike.

Fortunately, finding a good place to exercise can be as easy as a walk in the park. According to Mark Fenton, editor at large of Walking magazine, there is a national movement to build more “walkable” communities.

“Because of their layouts, many communities just do not promote active, healthy lifestyles. However, studies demonstrate that people do exercise more when they have access to physical environments that allow them to be active,” said Fenton.

One organization taking steps to get people walking is Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, which turns unused railroad lines into recreational paths for walking and biking. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and sponsor Crystal Light have helped double the number of miles of rail-trails across the U.S. to 20,000.

The trails don’t just benefit the individuals who walk on them, said Fenton, but also become an asset to communities. “Trails are a scenic resource that encourage local interaction, increase property values, reduce crime, and link people together,” he commented.

For more information about Rails to Trails Conservancy, log on to www.crystallight.com and click on Crystal Light, then Healthy Lifestyle Choices. There you’ll find steps to start a walking program, monthly walking tips from Fenton, and a personalized downloadable monthly walking diary.

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