Things to enjoy in October: cooler temps, pumpkin spice and walking

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Councilmember Price walking with students

Council member Price leading a Walk to School event during last Walktober.

We love walking at CicLAvia too!

We love walking at CicLAvia too!

I walk — a lot. Besides walking the dog every day for exercise, walking is how I get to the train station to commute to work, walking is how I get to my favorite coffee shops and restaurants, walking is how I get my groceries (except for those days I need to cart home cases of La Croix*). Walking is part of my daily routine, so I’m out there rain or shine, but of course it’s much more enjoyable when the weather is nice. And with the temperatures finally dropping a bit (fingers crossed!), this is a good time for you to join me in pounding the pavement — plus, it’s Walktober!

Walktober is a month-long celebration of walking, an activity that’s pretty good for your health and can help you defeat the pumpkin spice everything now being aggressively marketed to your eyeballs. It’s also when Walk to School Day takes place. This year, Walk to School Day is Wednesday, Oct. 7, and if you’re interested in encouraging safe walking and biking to your school, there are resources available to help you learn about safety and organize Safe Routes to Schools activities.

Metro’s Safe Routes to School pilot program also helps organize Walk to School and Bike to School events for 10 pilot schools and works to create a safer experience for students who already walk to school. The events provide opportunities for kids to learn about pedestrian, bicycle and public transit safety. Online resources for schools or parents to start their own Safe Routes to School programs are also available. Schools located in the city of Los Angeles can find resources for holding their own Walk to School event at Walk to School Day LA, and all schools in Los Angeles County can find resources and information at Walk Bike to School.

Ultimately, these programs hope to create an environment where children can get active while getting to school safely. In addition, encouraging kids to walk or bike to school can help reduce congestion related to school travel, which will also benefit traffic and air quality in local neighborhoods.

So get to it! Whether it’s to school, work or just because, there’s no time better time to start walking.

For behind the scenes action and other misadventures, follow Anna: Twitter / Instagram. 

*In exchange for this plug, I would like a free case of La Croix, please.

Categories: Go Metro

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2 replies ›

  1. There is definitely something wrong with America today when government can stick their noses into people’s lives and have the authority to judge and decide how parents should be raising their children. There’s just too many insane laws out there that need to be scaled back.

  2. “Ultimately, these programs hope to create an environment where children can get active while getting to school safely. In addition, encouraging kids to walk or bike to school can help reduce congestion related to school travel, which will also benefit traffic and air quality in local neighborhoods.”

    Government says one thing, government does another.

    Parents accused of neglect for letting kids walk alone
    https://youtu.be/PLgoBMntOHc

    Pray tell letting kids walk to school alone these days and have child protective services knocking on the parents’ door taking their children away for “neglect.”

    If it can happen to liberal Maryland, nothing says it can’t happen here in a more liberal California.