When Mother Nature delivers the sunshine, students might want to think twice about getting a ride to school.
Amanda Hepp is with the Public and Population Health Promotion team of Alberta Health Services. She says active transportation, like walking or riding a bike to school, can be hugely beneficial to the development of younger people.
“Walking or biking to school helps children meet the recommended 60 minutes of moderate to rigorous daily activity, something that currently only 39 per cent of children in Canada aged five to 17 achieve,” Hepp says.
She notes that active transportation can help improve concentration in the classroom and foster independence while creating long-term healthy habits for young Canadians.
Additionally, Hepp says it has many environmental benefits as less cars on the road means less emissions.
“When more people choose walking and biking instead of driving, we can reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, supporting a healthier environment for everyone,” she remarks.
“Car trips under 16 kilometres are actually responsible for 40 per cent of vehicle carbon emissions and many of these could be replaced with active transportation.”
Hepp choosing walking and cycling over hopping in the car can make communities quieter and reduce congestion on local roads.
