For too long biking has been viewed skeptically as a white-people thing, a big city thing, an ultra-fit athlete thing, a twenty-something thing, a warm weather thing or an upper-middle class thing. And above all else, it’s seen as a guy thing. But guess what? The times they are a-changing. More than 100 million Americans […]
Few things in life relieve stress, instill creativity and boost health and more than taking a stroll. “Walking is a man’s best medicine,” Hippocrates declared in the 4th Century BCE. “To solve a problem, walk around,” St. Jerome advised during Roman times. “When we walk, we come home to ourselves,” observes Buddhist monk Thich Nhat […]
National Summit Showcases Health, Economic and Social Justice Benefits of Walkable Communities Many things leap to mind when someone mentions walking: fitness, fun, fresh air, relaxation, friends and maybe your most comfortable pair of shoes. But a word that rarely arises is “power”. That will begin to change after the 2017 National Walking Summit (held […]
It’s a brilliantly blue winter day, and a happy crowd in downtown Saint Paul dispels the myth that Minnesotans hibernate from November to May. Smiles erupt as people sip hot chocolate, build a snowman, cluster in threes and fours for animated conversation, and gobble food truck burritos at café tables. A young woman hands out […]
One number stands above all others as the best indicator of good health. It’s not your blood pressure, cholesterol level, average daily calories or even the age at which your grandparents die. It’s your zip code. This fact has sent shockwaves across the county. The chief aspiration of American democracy is that everyone deserves an […]
Following Surgeon General’s prescription, Americans have rediscovered that a simple stroll is good for health, happiness and social harmony. Walking is not just a good idea, it’s a growing movement that can boost our health, happiness, economy and sense of social harmony. This article outlines 20 signs that walking is picking up speed across America—a […]
Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from author Jay Walljasper’s new book, America’s Walking Renaissance. A bottom-up St. Paul project changes how people feel about their city Laughter, lively music and lip-smacking appreciation of food from many cultures animates St. Anthony Avenue in St. Paul, Minnesota as a crowd whoops it up at the Better […]
How to describe your first time in a green lane? There’s nothing quite like it. For me it happened on a business trip to Copenhagen. I saw bikes everywhere, beginning with the taxi ride from the airport where I spotted business executives toting briefcases on bikes, wanna-be fashion models wearing high heels on bikes, kids […]