Watercooler Wednesday-WalkScore

HERE are the guidelines. PLEASE take time to read them.  

It will save us both a lot of time.

To join us, do a post today about Arts/Culture, put a link in your post to this post permalink (not my general URL) and then put the permalink of your post (not your general URL) here at the end of this post. Thanks.

Join me around the watercooler today and each Wednesday...

WalkScore - Why Walking Matters

With gas prices soaring out of control as oil companies continue to make billions in profits, this website caught my attention. Go HERE to enter your address and get your "walkable score". It is fast and informative. My address scores an 80. Nice!

Walkable neighborhoods offer surprising benefits to our health, the environment, and our communities.    

Better health: A study in Washington State found that the average resident of a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood weighs 7 pounds less than someone who lives in a sprawling neighborhood. Residents of walkable neighborhoods drive less and suffer fewer car accidents, a leading cause of death between the ages of 15 - 45.

Reduction in pollution: Cars are a leading cause of pollution. Your feet are zero pollution transportation machines.       

More transportation options: Compact neighborhoods tend to have higher population density, which leads to more public transportation options and bicycle infrastructure. Not only is taking the bus cheaper than driving, but riding a bus is ten times safer than driving a car!

Increased social capital: Walking increases social capital by promoting face-to-face interaction with your neighbors. Studies have shown that for each 10 minutes a person spends in a daily car commute, time spent in community activities falls by 10 percent.       

Stronger local businesses: Dense, walkable neighborhoods provide local businesses with the foot traffic they need to thrive. It's easier for pedestrians to shop at many stores on one trip, since they don't need to drive between destinations.

It Adds Up - I walk 90% of the time now. I put an average of 10,000 fewer miles on my vehicle annually, and @15 miles per gallon in my Jeep Wrangler, that equals $2,400 in savings per year in fuel costs alone, not taking into account depreciation, maintenance and other costs.

What does your address score? Let me know your city and score HERE.

Comments

[Audra]

Wow this was really cool. My address in Scottsdale, AZ only scored a 34 however, which is like a "D" in the real world. I didn't fail, but was given a few points for showing up... We do however have two Starbucks and two coffee shops in less than a mile. I'll probably survive. What else could I really need?

[alexsandra]

27...ugh...they don't call it the Motor City for nothin'. I live in Windsor Ontario across the river from Detroit. People do walk in my neighbourhood, but mostly dog walking and leisure. We have nice parks, playgrounds, and baseball diamonds...

[Amy Halleran]

My current address actually scored a big fat 0. But my new address in Franklin scores a 58. Looking forward to walking to downtown. That's what I miss most from living on Adams Street.

[Jonathan]

Hmmm... I've got alexsandra beat with the score of my house in Holland, Michigan: 11. I wouldn't have guessed that; it's really a very nice location. However, at my apartment here in the Seattle university district, the walk score comes in at a whopping 98! (Too bad that the two places where I spend most of my working time - other than when I'm able to work from the apartment - are both about 25 minutes away by highway - one to the north and one to the south.)

[Mark Jaffrey]

Well, I walk or cycle everywhere. 15 mins walk to the office at church, or 5 mins on my bike. My wife drives the Jeep around on the school run, grocery shopping and for her church ministries. Of course, when it's 110 degrees outside, an air conditioned car becomes more of a neccessity!

Back home in the UK, walking is much more normal than in the USA. I used to walk to work there too. On my first visit to the States (Kansas City in 1994) I was shocked that there seemed to be no safe way of walking from my hotel to the mini mall one block away; there were six lanes of traffic to cross but no crossing point and no walkways. Seems like you're going to have to change the culture of the city planners before you can get people out of their cars!

P.S. Audra, I like the way you differentiate between Starbucks and Coffee Shops.

[Barry]

My address in Wheaton, IL scored a 62 - not bad for a suburban neighborhood of Chicago. We have a pretty large shopping area near us, which really helped raise the score.

[Michael Hyatt]

I scored an 85. I live roughly in the same neighborhood as Randy.

[Kristine Pratt]

My address here in MN scored a 32. Which isn't great according to this, but I DO actually walk to quite a few places. I'm a half mile from grocery, restaurant, library, post office. Sure there's not a lot of variety in the stores, but my feet can get me there just fine!

[Isaac Downing]

This is a great resource! My neighborhood scored a 58 in Peoria, Illinois - 2 hours south of Chicago.

[marina]

We moved to mid-town Phoenix about 1 year ago - it is definitely a walking neighborhood - scored a 63! In fact, Dan and I walked to Acacia Cafe yesterday for breakfast, and we often walk to La Grande Orange and Over Easy for breakfast as well!! Steven's school is within walking distance and in a pinch I could walk to Sprouts. Of course, in the summer, all bets are off. Walking in 110 degree heat is nearly impossible.

[Corey McGalliard]

I live a block from downtown winchester (huge booming city that it is...) and i got a 69

[Keely Scott]

I love this randy! super cool! Living in Nashville's downtown neighborhood we got a 69. Some of the places listed we don't exactly visit but we love to walk to the park and to the farmers market! This summer germantown should get a coffee shop and more restaurants so I am sure more walking will be done! whoo hoo

[Al Dancy]

Wow! I scored 11. That's kind of sad in a way, since I live 10 miutes from downtown Worcester, MA. At least I get my walk on during Lunch and Breaks.

[Randy Elrod]

Poetry fills the air of conversation around the watercooler. I have read at least three original poems that are extraordinary. Be sure to check out all the other posts today and you will discover unexpected gifts.

Randy

[Pat Callahan]

I scored a 17. Pretty dismal. My office (2nd home) scored a 55.

[Carstairs38]

I'm surprised. I actually scored a 46. Maybe I need to get my bike in working order again.

Mark

[Krissy Thomas]

Ugh...so sad that my location scored a 15. I would love to be in a place that scores high like your neighborhood.

[Erica Foster]

I'm reading a great book right now called Heaven by Randy Alcorn.

[Jim Drake]

Mine is an 11--that stinks. But we live on the western edge of town and all stores and such are at the center of town. I am thinking hard about biking though--it would be great exercise and cost NO GAS Money. My poor 15 year old is wanting to get her license. I told her she didn't need one for a bike!

[KO]

I live in the San Fernando Valley and scored a 51. I would love to walk more, esp. to do groceries or something, but it's tricky with toddlers in tow.

[Randy Elrod]

Pat just posted an incredible watercooler post about repairing his broken iPod and laptops, etc.

Unbelievable!

Randy

[Dan Perkins]

that would be 34. I'm not in favor of it but to be in a 50 or better I'd have to drive twice as far to the office and increase my rent beyond "stratosphere" to "next galaxy."

[tunz]

St. George KS
Walkscore=8

And the one business listed within 5 or less miles is now closed.

But we do have great biking options.

[David Ballard]

My walkscore was 32 out of 100. Not very good, but we will walk a lot to the boys' school and my work!

[Spence Smith]

My score was a 68 which i think might have been my college grade point average...but don't tell anyone...because i think i'm smart in some areas of my life and lacking in others...if you have a reading problem then i'm at 86!!!! yeah!!!!