Survival Monday: For Your Health

After spending eight years in cities that had great walking and public transit infrastructures, I have a hard time picturing myself in a residential suburb. I prefer being able to walk or bike or bus for work, errands, and fun.

Where we live in Salt Lake City, I can get away with doing most of my commuting and small errands on the bus. Even still, there are some nights when I find myself spitting and cursing because the bus only runs at 8 and 9 p.m. before stopping completely. 

The limited accessibility to public transportation is particularly frustrating on days like—well, any day last week. With the exception of a few weekend snow storms, Salt Lake City had been trapped under a layer of thick polluted haze since the beginning of January. 

The pollution stays in our bowl-shaped valley during a weather phenomenon called an inversion, as illustrated by the graphic below. 

Inversion Smog Episodes by Salt Lake Tribune

For two locations just 45 minutes from each other, you end up with a weather forecast that looks something like this:

(And really, the mountains were closer to 40 degrees by midday.) 

A significant portion of this pollution comes from vehicle emissions, from the things you and I do every day. 

The Utah Division of Air Quality offers a great list of "things you can do" to help, and I plan on adding a few to my own routine. However, many of the transportation suggestions are either truly unrealistic or psychologically daunting for the majority of the population. 

Kennecott Copper Mine recently donated 2,500 free transit passes to the public. That's an amazing start, but it just scratches the surface. Local businesses and local governments both need to focus on active infrastructure change and sustainable consumer incentives. Public transportation needs to be more convenient than driving. Industry needs to invest in longterm upgrades and cleaner technology. Most importantly, the public needs to demand change. 

The Utah Physicians for Healthy Environment highlight key issues. Are you on board?

Update 29 Jan. 2013: Governor Herbert and transportation officials met today to discuss the air quality issue. Read more. 

Blogspiration: 5 Reasons to Go for a Walk

"Walking is life at its most immediate. The combination of people and places changes constantly and never repeats." Joseph Scher


That line stuck out to me while reading this New York Times "Opinionator" piece three years ago. The author is referring to the experience of walking on a crowded New York City sidewalk, but I think it describes small-town strolls or quiet hikes equally well. While cycling gives me the rush of moving fast, walking helps me feel rooted and connected.

So why should you go for a walk, right now? Use these five reasons to get on your feet and out the door:

1. Improve your mood. We've heard it from the experts for years—regular exercise can help relieve anxiety and stress. While you'll only get that "runner's high" from an intensive cardio workout, a brisk walk around the block can do wonders to relax your muscles, improve your energy level, and boost your confidence. 
2. Love your body. There are few things more satisfying than feeling a gentle ache in your muscles after a long city walk or a challenging outdoor hike. You're making yourself stronger and healthier, and that's something to be proud of.
3. See something new. I've discovered some of my favorite stores, cafés, and parks by taking a new path. If you need to escape your thoughts for a while, new sights can provide a good distraction. 
4. Take a break. Step away from that bad day at work, that fight with a loved one, or that horrendous case of writer's block. Walk it off, listening to music or taking in the sounds around you. I find that some of my best work comes after a long walk around New York City.
5. Go alone or with a friend. Connect with your friends, family, or partner. Relish your alone time by setting your own pace and path. Walking fits almost any situation.

Need a bit more convincing? Check out Every Body Walk, a "campaign to get America moving."

Blogspiration is a new meme hosted jointly by GrowingUp YA and saz101.