Overview
Walking is a great way to get around Thurrock. It's quick and reliable, good for your health and good for the environment.
Walking is quick and reliable
For short journeys, walking is quick and reliable, with very few interruptions. In busy areas it will usually take the same amount of time as taking out the car.
Walking is good for your health
Brisk walking is a great way to clear your head, reduce stress and release those mood-boosting endorphins. It's the nearest thing to 'perfect' exercise in terms of a safe, all-round workout. And it doesn't cost a penny or need any special equipment:
- if you walk an extra 20 minutes a day, you'll burn more than 3kg of body fat a year
- a single step uses up to 200 muscles, so you're not only doing a little cardio but toning your muscles too
- walking can halve your risk of coronary heart disease and help prevent some cancers
- walking may slow cognitive decline in adults, especially those with existing conditions such as Alzheimer's Disease
- walking can help to prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes
If you'd like to start walking with a support programme where you can walk with others, go to the Thurrock Ramblers website.
Walking makes a greener planet
Did you know:
- you can breathe in more pollution inside your car than walking the same route
- the average 2-way school run emits 800g of carbon dioxide into the air – that's enough to inflate more than 60 balloons
- for every young person that walks 1 mile to school and back instead of being driven, we'll save 57kg of carbon per year
- you can get a little exercise into each working day by walking to work or between meetings
- you can find out how long it would take to walk somewhere by visiting Walkit.com
- you can find out more about everyday walking on the Living Streets website