Walking is a sport or pastime that we're seeing more people doing every day. There are so many reasons why walking is important beyond the very obvious: it's fun and great exercise. While the majority of the people that spend time walking do it for fitness, there are several reasons why we should all walk as much as possible.
A Healthier Environment
A large portion of the air pollution in the world comes from motor vehicles. According to the EPA, 55 percent of nitrogen oxide emissions and 80 percent of carbon monoxide in the United States is caused by transportation. Even though cars are being made better and cleaner every year, they're still contributing to the deterioration of our overall air quality. In addition, millions of barrels of oil, which is a non-renewable source of energy, are burnt every day by cars and trucks.
Less Roadway Congestion
We seldom stop to realize how short some of the trips we make in our cars really are. Approximately 40 percent of all trips made in the U.S. are under two miles, which is equal to a 30-minute walk. Many of the highways and streets are carrying more traffic than they were meant to handle, causing wasted energy, time, driver aggravation, pollution and an overall congested roadway. Two pedestrians walking take up a lot less space than two people driving a car or truck.
Healthier Life for All
Walking is so good for our health. The benefits it can provide are extraordinary. Physical activity has always been recommended for good health, even if you can only manage 30 minutes a day, and walking is exceptionally good for many health benefits including:
Reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and other chronic diseases
Provides you a stronger heart
More positive mental outlook
Lower health care costs
Overall improved quality of life
Economics
Walking is free! It doesn't get much more economical than that. With the rising costs of fuel as well as wear and tear and regular maintenance on your vehicle, owning and operating a car is very expensive. In fact, transportation takes up a lot of your income each year. The more walking you can do, the more money you'll save that can be spent on other things. There are some situations where you can't walk but why not take advantage of the times when you can and get out there and walk! It just makes good sense!
