Cindy Green from the Spokane County Health District sent this along last week. It’s an interesting piece, and what struck me is that as lot of the recommended activities are already being employed to some degree throughout our region… Read for yourself:

Writing in Preventive Medicine, Edward Maibach of Fairfax, Va.-based George Mason University and colleagues suggest that approximately one-half of U.S. car trips are less than five miles, a distance that could be easily navigated on foot or by bike, United Press International reports. According to Maibach, reducing the frequency of such short trips could produce multiple benefits, including positive effects for the environment through reduced pollutant emissions and health benefits for individuals stemming from increased physical activity. Maibach cites examples of proven, low-cost strategies that communities can employ to encourage residents to reduce short-distance car trips, such as city bike-sharing initiatives, the distribution of walking and cycling maps, and “walking school buses” in which children and parents walk together to local schools. In addition, Maibach calls for government officials and community leaders to support policy changes that promote active transportation, including reducing speed limits, making intersections safer for cyclists and closing select roads to cars. Want to know more? Check out the whole article here.