We all know the value of getting our steps in, but there’s even more to it than being fit. In addition to lowering healthcare costs, walking — including, walking your errands and walking to work — translates to a healthier planet by reducing emissions and waste. If getting your steps in isn’t motivating enough, read on for more inspiration to walk your errands.
IT REDUCES CO2 EMISSIONS
In 2008,a study发现，如果只有5％的纽约人将汽车换成自行车或运动鞋，那么一年中的二氧化碳排放量将节省1.5亿磅。在旧金山，a similar study据估计，如果人们每天的步行或骑自行车从每天4分钟增加到每天22分钟，则排放量将减少14％。其他研究显示出类似的结果：步行而不是驾驶可以说是对环保的最简单，最便宜的方式。
Pro tip：如果您的工作通勤时间太长了，无法行走 - 对于那些不居住在城市的人来说并不少见，请考虑拆分通勤。开车去上班，但是将距离办公室一两英里停放，然后从那里走。您仍然会得到步行的好处，并且您的汽车每年在路上较少英里。即使每天步行两英里，而不是驾驶每年的驾驶约600英里，大约有两个全罐气体，再加上约13.7磅的卡路里。不是太寒酸！
IT SAVES MONEY
TheAmerican Public Transportation Association’s2016年3月过境储蓄报告showed that those who opted for public transit instead of driving saved up to $769 per month. If you opt to walk to the bus stop or subway or walk the entire way to your destination, the savings can go even higher. Of course, you can take a similar tactic as above and do a combo of walking a few extra bus stops then taking the bus the rest of the way.
Pro tip: Use some of the money you save on gas to invest in sneakers that make walking as comfortable as possible. If you live in an area where rain or snow are common, treat yourself to good outerwear to make your commute more pleasant.
READ MORE >HOW TO TURN WALKING YOUR DOG INTO A WORKOUT
它降低了医疗保健费用
在包括的主要城市的研究Portland, Oregon, and旧金山发现步行和骑自行车每天仅几分钟可显着下降糖尿病和心血管疾病的发生率 - 高达14％。这是您和城市的医疗保健费用的巨大降低。在澳大利亚，it was estimatedthat the net direct healthcare cost savings were AU$126.73 million in 2004 for just the people who were already walking — imagine the savings if all of the inactive population started moving.
Pro tip: Once you start a regular walking habit, take a minute at the end of each week to reflect on how you feel. If you’re feeling stronger, more energized and more focused at work, note that in a journal as a reminder for when you’re tempted to start driving more again.
IT REDUCES WASTE
When you walk to the market for groceries, not only are you burning calories while reducing emissions, but it’s likely that since you have to carry what you buy, you’ll only get what you need.One studyshowed that up to 40% of the food we purchase in the U.S. gets tossed. When you’re carrying groceries on your back, you quickly learn to stop buying products with tons of packaging, which is usually more processed, and focus on getting only what you need and are willing to carry.
Pro tip：找到一个舒适的背包 - 并具有胸带和腰带，以帮助分配较重的东西的重量。您始终可以轻松并每月开车一次，以储备订书钉和较重的物品。
它增加了您的热量燃烧
您可能每周要锻炼几次，并且已经燃烧了一些严重的卡路里，因此这种额外的动作是一种奖励。增加步行差不仅仅是对环境的帮助，还可以为您提供额外的低影响锻炼，可以推动您的体重降低高原或帮助您增加有氧运动。If you’re a runner, there’s only so much mileage you have time or energy for in a week, but walking at 4 mph won’t feel like much work, despite the fact that it can burn upwards of 400 calories per hour — and even more if youadd a packand walk with groceries or library books. One Britishstudyshowed that adults who walked or cycled to work had a lower body-fat percentage compared to those who commuted by car.
Pro tip: Wear a fitness tracker for at least a week of focused walk commuting, and at the end of the week, note how many extra steps you took — and how many extra calories you burned. The number will happily surprise you!
