Regular physical exercise is a vital part of maintaining our health and wellbeing. Yet, we are Regular physical exercise is a vital part of maintaining our health and wellbeing. Yet, we are walking much lesser per day than our parents and grandparents used to do. This essay intends to look into the causes behind this phenomenon, and suggest some ways to motivate people to walk more.
There are many reasons why people shun walking. Firstly, everyone is very busy nowadays. There are too many pressures and people have become workaholics. Another reason is that everything is spread out. We live far from the places we need to go. We have to drive to work. We have to drive to the grocery store. We have to drive our children to school. More time spent driving, means less time spent on other activities, including walking. On top of that, we don’t walk because the car is right there. In short, we drive because we no longer have to walk. Finally, most people who want to walk but don’t, is because it is not safe to walk. Modern cities are not built with the pedestrian in mind.
To encourage people to walk, it has to be made safer. People need to feel that walking is a safe, pleasant and convenient way for short journeys. If walking feels like a dangerous hassle, no one would like to walk. Why would somebody choose to walk the half-mile to the shops, if they have to wait at three or four separate ‘red man’ lights to cross one road, while their neighbor who took the car gets to cross the same junction in one go? The onus is on the governments to redesign the cities and have pavements on sides of the roads for people who wish to walk.
Furthermore, people have to be made aware of the potential health benefits associated with regular walking. Walking is good for our brain, our fitness, our memory, our longevity, our blood pressure, and our general health. This can be done through the media such as the TV and the Internet. Parks can be made and maintained by the authorities to encourage people to go for morning and evening walks.
Regular physical exercise is a vital part of maintaining our
health
and
wellbeing
.
Yet
, we are Regular physical exercise is a vital part of maintaining our
health
and
wellbeing
.
Yet
, we are walking much lesser per day than our parents and grandparents
used
to do. This essay intends to look into the causes behind this phenomenon, and suggest
some
ways to motivate
people
to
walk
more.
There are
many
reasons why
people
shun walking.
Firstly
, everyone is
very
busy nowadays. There are too
many
pressures and
people
have become workaholics. Another reason is that everything
is spread
out. We
live
far from the places we need to go. We
have to
drive
to work.
We
have to
drive
to the grocery store.
We
have to
drive
our children to school. More time spent driving, means less time spent on other activities, including walking.
On top of that
, we don’t
walk
because
the car is right there. In short, we
drive
because
we no longer
have to
walk
.
Finally
, most
people
who want to
walk
but
don’t, is
because
it is not safe to
walk
. Modern cities are not built with the pedestrian in mind.
To encourage
people
to
walk
, it
has to
be made
safer.
People
need to feel that walking is a safe, pleasant and convenient way for short journeys. If walking feels like a
dangerous
hassle, no one would like to
walk
. Why would somebody choose to
walk
the half-mile to the shops, if they
have to
wait at three or four separate ‘red
man
’ lights to cross one road, while their neighbor who took the car
gets
to cross the same junction in one go? The onus is on the
governments
to redesign the cities and have pavements on sides of the roads for
people
who wish to walk.
Furthermore
,
people
have to
be made
aware of the potential
health
benefits associated with regular walking. Walking is
good
for our brain, our fitness, our memory, our longevity, our blood pressure, and our general
health
. This can
be done
through the media such as the TV and the Internet. Parks can
be made
and maintained by the authorities to encourage
people
to go for morning and evening
walks
.