Walking a greener path ..

One of the interesting things we're doing at Pulsant is our green forums lead by Helen Munro . Alongside our existing corporate pledges and actions around net-zero there are get togethers to discuss how each of us as individuals can make a change fitting into our 'make it happen' principle.

As part of this, as you may be aware my own and parents health challenges meaning doctors orders are to reduce stress, I decided to try and make a change just to see what was really possible.

Avoiding using the car

It's really that simple. That was the challenge, make the car the last resort. Armed with a ￡13 weekly bus pass, some trainers & bluetooth headphones. Swap car trips for busses and walking.

So, how did it go ? Well, in short, really, really well. I walked lots, I took some busses, my mental health improved due to the walking and I got a far better awareness of things around me. After initial aches and pains, these subsided to make cardiac rehab far easier to the point an hour walk is easy. I can honestly say, the car truly is a secondary concern now.

But it wasn't without its challenges. Rain and cold weather were irksome, cancellations on busses whilst thankfully weren't too often, happened and you had to think on your feet sometimes and/or change plans. You also had to plan way more in advance and not stress over specific timings.

Thankfully due to hybrid and some other things, the commute was minimised however this would be utterly painful - peak time packed public transport, comprising of 60-90 mins each way and multiple walks/methods of transport. That said, is that more, or less stressful than being stuck in horrendous traffic ? I'm not so sure, but that's potentially a lot of time.

My main use of the car involved either other people or bulky items. Where the expense soon adds up is going anywhere as a family.

Some data on my walking over the past 2 weeks is included below, nearly 1/5th of the Proclaimers distance walked and almost 200,000 steps.

Did I save Money ?

Hmm yes, but not as much as you'd think. Usually, excluding commute, ￡30-40 (weekly) in fuel, went to ￡13 (bus pass) + ￡10 fuel + if I wanted to see my dad, metro day savers. So solely on fuel, yes there was a saving, but not a huge one. Add in commuting and the various passes needed to make this possible, and the savings do increase *if* you buy weekly/monthly passes.

Summary

I think this proves many of us (not all) could make some changes and it would be beneficial to health and ultimately pocket. Conspiracy theories aside, many see '15 min cities' as a pipe dream, I'm not sure - it comes down to balance, nuance and acceptance, cities like London, Manchester and Edinburgh with far better public transport are more viable for things like this than where I am. That said its certainly possible to aim for this with a little personal responsibility and acceptance that some peoples conditions and indeed jobs may need exemptions - I'd also throw in making public transport better, deliveries cheaper would add more impetus alongside better local amenities.

If you're thinking of trying this - a few tips below:

• Invest in some reasonable trainers. You don't need to go hugely expensive, but aim for the ￡30-￡40 mark, look for deals on things like hotukdeals and discount retailers.
• Plan more in advance and look for podcasts, music to listen to make walking easier.
• Apps help - look for local travel companies apps to show you live timetables and routes - remember if you miss one, you may be able to walk for 5-10 mins and grab something else a little further away.
• Look for alternatives - if your preferred coffee shop is 5 miles away via car, is there one more local that's comparable. Look to gain a better awareness of what's in your vicinity or just outside.

and always ...

• Be excellent to each other

#green #health #mentalhealth #walking