One of the best ‘ice-breaker’ topics to start a conversation; the weather!
It is not a trivial conversation though. Weather surely influences our daily routine and mood. And this is universally accepted by most of us (if not all). Some people just love walking on rainy days. While others prefer the touch of the sun’s rays on their face every time they walk. It’s true that sunny weather benefits most; get activated, cheerful, energized and of course, the prescribed dose of Vitamin D!
Did you know?! Your skin produces Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight!
From early morning smog prevailing over cities to smoke inside our homes, air pollution poses a major threat to personal health and climate. The combined impacts of ambient (outdoor) and household air pollution cause about 7 million premature deaths every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from the related health disorders.
The industrial revolution was indeed a milestone on the way that we lead our lives nowadays, but still it has been the trigger of seriously damaging effects to our environment, which translates into our health. The most neglected aspect (believe it or not) is air pollution.
Canada ranks 6th in countries with less concentration of particle matter according to WHO. Even the size and its vast natural landscape help, we should try to even lower it. Transportation is the major source of pollutants in the atmosphere. Unless we talk about cleaner ways to transport ourselves. Walking is one of the best ways, of course!
The pollution is not something that only affects our respiratory system, there are other elements that can be harmful to the environment. Traffic noise in cities can reach alarming levels presenting a grave danger to the residents. Combustion engines, rail tracks, sirens, honks build up the decibels causing wellness issues for people and our wildlife. These sounds are proven to cause stress and high blood pressure. Noise from ships and human activities in the ocean is harmful to whales and dolphins that depend on echolocation to survive.
We need to rethink how we move and how we interact with the planet to maintain sustainable growth for us and generations to come. Do you know what your personal carbon footprint is? How much carbon you're emitting while performing those tiny, quick errand runs? If you’re interested in tracking those parameters, technology helps. Sign up to be a beta tester of the Lighter Footprint App and find out soon: https://www.lighterfootprint.org/testing
Catherine McKenna, Canada’s Minister of Infrastructure and Communities said on March 12th “More paths for cycling, walking, (...) means good jobs and a healthier and cleaner Canada for All.”
Parks and natural environments are idyllic places to go for a walk or a hike, of course, and we are aware that we live in cities. This doesn’t mean that the system cannot integrate parks and natural environments. We are fortunate that Metro Vancouver sits in this amazing natural environment and our public transport system allows us to not rely on a private vehicle to access some of these walking havens.
Best of all, did you know that you can go to these parks for more than just a walk? Both New Westminster and Burnaby have their farmer’s markets during the summer months located in similar parks.
The New West farmer’s market of 2021 kicked-off on April 1st at Tipperary Park where every weekend, you can find a good array of farm-fresh products and local goods. In Burnaby, it happens on Saturdays in Deer Lake. Tiny little tit-bit on the side.
Whatever the weather, walking can be made fun, interesting and part of your everyday routine. Try it. It’s the best way to explore your city.
Happy Walking!
This blog post is written by BEST’s Isabel Garcia. #walkability
